Necessary materials, types of assembly, tips –

In order to limit heat losses and maintain a constant and pleasant room temperature, it is necessary to thermally isolate the house. All your attention can be directed to the thermal insulation of the walls and bridge or to seal the doors and windows. However, it is important to predict an insulating layer for the floor, so you can improve with 10-15% of the thermal efficiency of your home.

Discover in this complete guide, which means the isolation of the floor and what are its advantages, the necessary materials and the recommended phases for assembly. It also takes into account the useful suggestions presented in this article.

Content:

What is the floor isolated?

The isolation of a floor at home or in the apartment involves the addition of a material with thermal insulation properties under the finishing layer (tiles, parquet, etc.). The investment is mainly necessary for the rooms on the ground floor of the house and under which there is a basement, a garage or an unheated and unknown room.

Thermal insulation products must have low values ​​for the thermal conductivity coefficient, or the property of the material to lose heat (W/MK). On the contrary, thermal resistance to the transmission of heat (R) should be high (M²K/W).

Why is it the thermal insulation of the floors?

Through the floor, about 10-15% of total heat loss is wasted. An insulating layer maintains the ambient temperature inside the house and prevents the cold from penetrating. If the apartment or house is located above the technical basement, the isolation can also block the noise produced by the different equipment in the basement. In addition, the isolation of the floor attenuates the noises from the upper floor.

The thermal insulation of the entire building is important, to maintain small temperature variations both in winter and in the summer. In addition, this contributes to reducing costs for heating or cooling of the house. Here is a complete guide on thermal insulation inside and outside: necessary materials and quality, cost of works, general information and suggestions.

Materials required for the thermal insulation of the floors

A first classification of thermal insulation can be performed on the basis of the material: extruded polystyrene or mineral wool.

Thermal insulation with extruded polystyrene

The first option for the thermal insulation of the floor is extruded in polystyrene. This is a material with very excellent thermal properties. In addition, it is rigid, does not absorb water and has a high compression resistance.

Since during the assembly in polystyrene and the payment of the excavation they are ironed on polystyrene, it is recommended that it is attached to the floor with polyurethane foam, to ensure better stability. We also recommend that the polystyrene place a PVC sheet before pouring the excavation.

Thermal insulation with basalt wool

For the thermal insulation of the floor under the cotton lymph, basalt wool is used for the floor. This type of wool has the greater density and high resistance to compression, in order to support the weight of the excavation and the objects that will be stored on the floor. The more subtle the excavation is, the greater the compression resistance to compression.

Vata is a good option for the thermosulation of the floor, if you are interested in the insulation of the sound. From this point of view, cotton has properties higher than polystyrene, being a more elastic material, capable of absorbing noise. The basalt wool must be protected with a PVC sheet before pouring the excavation, so that the humidity in the excavation does not reach wool.

Thermal insulation with glass wool

If the thermal insulation material is protected by wooden boxes on which a shower will be mounted, you can also opt for glass wool as thermal insulation material. You can choose any type of glass wool that satisfies the thickness and thermal coefficient of your project.

Types of thermal insulation assembly in the floor

Isolation under the excavation

The insulating layer (extruded polystyrene or basalt wool) is added to the floor, before pouring the excavation. This step is taken into consideration both in the construction of the house and in the case of an important renewal.

Keep in mind that the isolation layer reduces the height of the room and should have a uniform height on the entire surface of the house, so that there are no level differences between the rooms. To calculate the level of doors, take into account the height of all the layers: cotton, excavation, finishes.

Isolation in the shower, without digging

If you can mount a wooden box structure on the floor, the thermal insulation material can be easily mounted in this wooden structure. In this case, you can also opt for glass wool, because the wool will not be ironed directly.

Furthermore, it is no longer necessary to pour the excavation on the wool, because the shower can be mounted directly on the wooden structure. You just have to be careful to have a flat surface on which you mount the wooden boxes/beams. We advise you to protect the glass wool with an anti-condemned sheet, so that the accident or accidental humidity do not reach the thermal insulation layer.

Isolation in the heating or heating system or in a pan

If the floor you want to isolate is on the floor of a house on a wooden structure, the conventional excavation is no longer an excellent solution due to its weight and rigidity. In such situations, the solution is an easy excavation with pearl granules and vidifloor plates for floors. In this structure, the floor is leveled with the help of pearl granules, on which the basalt or polystyrene layer is mounted and above the Widifloor plates or the OSB plates.

If you also have underfloor heating, it has a layer of extruded polystyrene in which the tube system is mounted. Find out what are the advantages and disadvantages of heating in the floor and how it is mounted.

Thermal insulation of the floor: practical advice

To obtain the thermal insulation of the quality of the floor, consider the following practical advice:

• The insulation of a concrete floor can be performed with an insulating layer of at least 5-10 centimeters, depending on the type of material used; The more often the thermal insulation is, the better the isolation is;
• Take care of the thermal bridges that can be created. The structural elements of the foundation that are not thermal isolated or balconies in the console can be transformed into thermal bridges through which the cold in the ground can reach the house, although the floor is isolated;
• For the thermal insulation of the bathroom floor or rooms with increase in humidity, it is necessary to give importance and waterproofing, both to prevent infiltration and in order not to allow humidity to reach the thermal insulation layer;
• Make sure that a dingy army is mounted above the thermal insulation layer with mesh and often enough to prevent cracks. A correctly made reinforced excavation has a thickness of at least 6 cm;

• Keep in mind that a further layer of thermal insulation has effects on the height of the room and the doors can require changes;
• If you mount the thermal insulation in two layers, mount the transverse plates, so that the joints do not overlap. In this way, you will have a more stable surface.

The type of insulating material and its thickness must be decided based on the degree of thermal protection and the sound necessary for your home. An isolated floor provides a heat loss of about 10-15% and contributes to maintaining an optimal temperature inside the house or apartment.

Author: Raluca Ghetu

Over 7 years of experience in the blog and building materials and over 20 years of experience in the management of projects, budgets, re -enlargement of businesses, training and management consultancy. Passionate about innovation and pay attention to details that bring value. See all articles by Raluca Ghetu