Insulation of the foundation with expanded polystyrene: technology

Types and characteristics of EPS

For some time now, in Russia, extruded polystyrene foam has been called by the name of the company that produces this material. This is how Penoplex, Technoplex, TechnoNicol and Ursa appeared. Well-known manufacturers "Penoplex", "TechnoNikol", "URSA Eurasia" supply high-quality thermal insulation to the construction market.

Penoplex

Especially for underground structures and structures, the company produces a type of insulation "Penoplex Foundation". The manufacturer guarantees increased strength and ability to withstand loads for 50 years. The declared characteristics of this insulation are characteristic of EPS, however, the thermal conductivity coefficient is slightly higher - 0.03-0.032 W / m * ºС.

Sheets have dimensions of 1200x600 mm with a standard thickness of 20 to 150 mm. The average cost of one sheet with a thickness of 50 mm is 199 rubles.

Watch a video of how this type of material is used for insulation.

TechnoNicol

For the insulation of the slab foundation, the EPPS brand "TechnoNIKOL CARBON ECO SP" is produced. It is characterized by strength, stability in a biologically aggressive environment, thermal inertia. Service life - 40 years.

The company produces one standard size of this brand - 2360x580x100 mm. The price of one sheet fluctuates around 740 rubles.

We recommend watching a video on how to insulate the base using this material.

URSA Eurasia

The company produces three grades of URSA XPS extruded polystyrene foam. The most suitable for basement insulation is URSA XPS N-V, since it has the highest compressive strength - 50 t / sq. m. However, the temperature regime is reduced: from -50 to +75.

URSA calls its products plates, and the dimensions of this material are as follows: 1250x600 with a thickness of 50.60, 80, 100 mm. The cost of one slab with a thickness of 50 mm is 192 rubles.

The use of expanded polystyrene for outdoor use requires a reliable seal with cement-based plaster mixtures.

Thermal insulation of the blind area

Insulation of the soil around the building is used to protect it (the soil) from heaving and to reduce the depth at which the foundation is laid. Expanded polystyrene prevents deformation. This increases the reliability and durability of the base.

How to properly insulate the blind area

Optimal design of the insulation of the blind area

The thermal insulation of the surface begins with vertical laying, after which the sand is poured back 15 cm below the ground level. The formwork is carried out at a distance of about one meter from the wall, the bottom is leveled and compacted. After that, slabs, a waterproofing film are laid and concrete is poured. It needs to be leveled so that there is a slight slope to the outside. If the concrete has frozen, the formwork is removed and the blind area is finished with stone or paving slabs.

Insulation of the blind area

Carrying out internal insulation

Insulation of the foundation inside

The algorithm for performing these works differs from the previous one only in the absence of the need for a trench.

Features of internal insulation:

1. The sheet must be fixed with dowels in each corner and in the center.
2. Work is underway to insulate the floor in case of rebuilding the basement into a residential one.
3. To protect the base of the house from the effects of water, a special membrane should be installed.
4. The presence of ventilation. Its absence will allow the foundation to collapse, and there is also a risk of mold and mildew growth due to the accumulation of moisture.

If you follow all the installation rules, then the process of self-warming the foundation with the help of foam is quite simple, but energy-intensive and will take some time. With the right choice of adhesive and appropriate fixing of the elements, you will certainly achieve the desired results. Using polystyrene, a room for any purpose will acquire the optimal air temperature.

Foam insulation

External insulation of the foundation of an already operated house using foam plastic requires a number of preparatory measures. First of all, a layer of soil is removed to the depth of freezing of the earth. The substrate is thoroughly cleaned of debris and soil residues. Next, waterproofing works are carried out.

Waterproofing

It is rational to use bitumen in rolls or liquid rubber as waterproofing. First, the foundation substrate is primed. For this, molten bitumen or rubber is mixed with diesel fuel in proportions 1: 1, after which the surfaces are primed with the mixture.

After the substrate has dried, the selected waterproofing is applied directly to the outer surface of the house foundation. If the molten rubber can be applied with a spatula or a brush, then the seamy side of the rolled bitumen will have to be heated with a burner and only then fixed to the foundation.

Installation of insulation

At the end of the preliminary waterproofing work, you can proceed to the installation of foam. This also requires the use of a burner. With its help, the surface of the waterproofing material is heated, after which the foam sheets are attached. Alternatively, a special mastic can be used for secure fixing.

Having laid the foam with your own hands, it must be covered with soil. It should be noted that before filling the material, it is necessary to first install a layer of roofing material between the soil and the foam. This avoids damage to the insulator by moisture and small pests.

Choosing insulation for the foundation

The answer to the question of how to insulate the foundation of a house from the outside is ambiguous. A wide range of materials are available in modern stores. When choosing, they are guided by the type of soil on which the building was erected, the climatic conditions of the region, as well as the degree of load on the structure. There are five heaters that have an optimal price-quality ratio.

Expanded polystyrene

Styrofoam or polystyrene foam is an inexpensive, practical material. It is widely used for thermal insulation of various structures, including foundations.

Among its advantages are:

• ease of installation;
• light weight;
• excellent thermal insulation qualities;
• the foam does not absorb moisture;
• does not shrink during operation;
• does not lose its properties under the aggressive influence of salt or chlorinated water, acids, alkalis;
• it is possible to use it together with mastics, lime, plaster and other materials.

Expanded polystyrene comes in the form of large rectangular sheets. It can be easily cut with an ordinary knife. And therefore, even a novice master will cope with its installation.

A significant disadvantage of expanded polystyrene is its low strength. It is damaged even by slight mechanical stress. Therefore, such a material needs additional protection, for example, brick lining.

For heat and moisture insulation of the base of houses, it is better to purchase polystyrene with a thickness of at least 50 mm. Its price on average in the country varies from 2500 to 3000 rubles per cubic meter. Service life - up to 40 years.

Extruded polystyrene foam

Extruded polystyrene foam (EPS) is a type of foam. During its production, one more technological process is added - extrusion. This improves the characteristics of the material.

EPPS has the following properties:

• high density;
• complete impermeability to moisture and steam;
• sufficient strength;
• chemical and biological inertness.
• light weight.

For insulation of the foundation, an EPSP slab with a thickness of 40 mm is sufficient. It is mounted using adhesive or disc dowels.

The most popular EPSP brands are Penoplex and Technonikol.The cost of a cubic meter of such material varies from 4500 to 5000 rubles. The service life, subject to the installation technology, is 50 years.

Polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam (PPU) is a liquid insulation that is applied to the base using a special sprayer. It hardens quickly to form a durable coating.

Compared with foam and EPS, it has the following advantages:

• when using polyurethane foam, a solid surface without joints is obtained, which increases the thermal insulation characteristics of the material;
• the product fills cavities and cracks that are in the concrete foundation, which prevents its destruction;
• easy to apply on complex surfaces;
• has high adhesive properties.

PPU is resistant to aggressive environmental conditions. It can withstand sudden temperature changes, does not deform, and does not emit toxic substances into the air.

The price for two canisters of polyurethane foam components weighing 50 kg each on average fluctuates around 25,000 - 30,000 rubles. With a layer thickness of 5 cm, this is enough for processing about 40 square meters of surface. The service life of PPU is up to 40 years.

Expanded clay

Expanded clay is a material obtained from molten clay. Recently, it is rarely used, since in terms of characteristics it is significantly inferior to PPU, PPS and EPS. Its main advantage is its low price. 1 cubic meter costs about 1,500 rubles.

Expanded clay is distinguished by its environmental friendliness. Since only natural ingredients are used in its manufacture, it does not emit any harmful substances into the air. The service life of such material is more than 50 years.

Its essential disadvantage is fragility. In case of violation of the manufacturing technology of the insulating layer, expanded clay granules crumble. This deteriorates its thermal insulation properties. The disadvantage of expanded clay is also the need for a blind area when laying it.

Mastics

Mastic is a liquid multicomponent composition based on bitumen. Most often it is used as a base layer before laying other materials, since its thermal insulation properties are very low.

To achieve a positive result, you need to apply it in three to four layers.

The mastic fills well the cracks and voids present on the base, which increases the strength of the structure. It reliably protects against moisture.

Warming with expanded polystyrene plates

Consider the option of building a strip foundation with wooden formwork. Insulation work begins after the removal of the formwork.

Strip foundation. Photo. The work will be carried out after the dismantling of the formwork

Step 1. Check the linearity of the side of the foundation. In most cases, it will need to be leveled. Between the joints of the shields and the loosely knocked down boards, concrete seams will certainly appear, they need to be cut down. In addition, large bumps should be corrected, the dimensions of the bumps cannot exceed 0.5 cm per linear meter. Such irregularities allow the boards to bend without mechanical damage and are partially eliminated by changing the thickness of the adhesive. Large irregularities become the reason for a significant increase in material consumption, and it is quite expensive. Check the linearity of the surfaces with a flat rod or a rope stretched at the corners.

Step 2. Take measurements of the foundation and draw up an approximate plan for cutting materials. This is a very important operation, consider several options and choose the best one. The nesting plan will help you to significantly reduce the amount of irrecoverable waste, reduce the number of seams and speed up the work.

Take measurements

Step 3. Laying polystyrene foam boards.

Here it is already more difficult, it is very difficult to give general universal advice.The fact is that the slabs must adhere to the foundation over the entire area; air pockets must not be left. This is in the case of insulation of ceilings or walls, the glue can not be applied to the entire surface of the expanded polystyrene, it will hold on and so it will, and the finishing sheathing will protect it from mechanical damage.

During the insulation of the foundation, this method is ineffective. There are two ways to level the foundation surfaces: by additional plastering or by increasing the thickness of the glue. The first method is more laborious, but less expensive. The second method, on the contrary, requires less time, but more money to purchase expensive glue. Make a decision on the spot, taking into account both the condition of the foundation surfaces, and your professionalism and the thickness of the wallet.

Continuous glue application

Step 4. Lay the expanded polystyrene boards in rows according to the previously drawn cutting chart. Control their position with a long spirit level or a flat rod. The technology of gluing the plates itself should not create difficulties, these are not ceramic tiles, millimeter precision is not needed. Follow the recommendations of the manufacturer of the glue exactly, its consistency should not be too liquid or too thick.

Leveling the adhesive layer with a spatula

You need to press the plates only with your hands. In order to slightly correct their position, you need to make small rhythmic movements with the plate up / down or left / right. Plates should fit as tightly as possible to each other.

Press the stove with your hands

In most cases, the height of the underground part of the foundation is not the same, this is due to the peculiarities of the landscape. It is desirable that the visible upper sheets of insulation are even; it is recommended to align the first lower row. To do this, before starting the work, beat off the horizontal line at the bottom edge of the foundation, cut each slab at the required angle. Thus, you will be able to bring the edge of the insulation through the row to a horizontal position.

Step 5. Glue the slabs around the entire perimeter of the foundation, check the adhesion strength.

Glue the slabs around the entire perimeter of the foundation

All wide joints between the boards must be sealed with polyurethane foam or construction foam. There will be seams, it is unlikely that you will be able to make the surface of the foundation absolutely flat. But this is not considered a defect, construction foam has excellent performance.

Example of sealing joints with foam

Step 6

Carefully backfill the trench with pitch. If the soils are sandy loam on your site, you can not pour sand

If, for one reason or another, there are difficulties with the delivery of sand, this is not a problem. Take a metal mesh with a mesh size of about 1 ÷ 2 centimeters and sift through the available soil. Large stones will be removed, and the sifted earth will not damage the insulation.

Surface preparation

Primer application

Primer TechnoNIKOL

Waterproofing

Mastic for gluing boards

Expanded polystyrene for basement insulation

Fixed Styrofoam Plates

Geotextiles are fixed on top of the slabs

Drainage pipe laid and soil filled

An example of the effect of moisture on a foundation

Do-it-yourself foam insulation of the foundation

Foam insulation technology:

1. After the foundation is completely cast (or made of concrete blocks), a layer of waterproofing is applied to the outer surface. Bitumen-based resins or other similar building materials are used as it. Sometimes, sheet waterproofing is used, which is fixed on a special layer of adhesive or viscous waterproofing.

2. The next stage is external laying of insulation on the foundation.Since foam slabs have different densities, it is necessary to use the material with the highest density for the foundation. Be sure to take care of additional protection, which can be created from bricks or using wooden "formwork".

3. The slabs are mounted on the waterproofing with a bitumen-based resin or by means of a "mushroom" fixation, which is fixed through to the concrete wall. The foam is fixed close to each other to the entire depth of the foundation and without gaps.

4. Once the slabs have been laid, they should be protected from harmful soil pressure.

This can be done in the following ways:

• create a layer of roofing material between the soil and the foam;
• make a sand pillow about 10 cm.

Recommendations:

1. If the construction of your house has already been completed, then before proceeding with the insulation of the foundation with expanded polystyrene outside, you should dig a deep trench along the insulated structure. Its width should be at least 1 m, while the depth is determined by the size of soil freezing. Further, the technology is identical to the above described process.

2. To ensure the protection of the soil from vertical freezing, already at the construction stage blind areas around the house, at the bottom of the trench, after a layer of gravel and a sand cushion, foam polystyrene plates should be laid, and then proceed according to the blind area technology.

3. Do-it-yourself insulation of the house foundation is best done with PSB-S foam. It comes in the form of a sheet with various thicknesses and sizes. This type of building material is quite convenient and profitable during installation, as well as easy to transport.

So fundamental foam insulation is a great way to keep your home dry and warm. You will forget about condensation, and you will enjoy comfort and coziness for a long time.

Foundation insulation technology with foam video:

Thermal insulation of a columnar foundation with polystyrene foam

Before you insulate the columnar foundation with your own hands, you will need to purchase a heat insulator and suitable glue for it. Then all the following types of operations should be carried out in turn:

1. Dig in the foundation along its depth, making a trench around it.
2. Cover the foundation with EPPS at least to the depth of soil freezing.
3. Clean the foundation by removing all crumbling or chipping concrete particles.
4. Cover the surface of the foundation with a penetrating primer (2 coats) and let it dry until it is completely absorbed into the concrete.
5. Waterproof the foundation with bituminous mastic.
6. Apply glue to the board pointwise.

Fastening of expanded polystyrene to the foundation is carried out 1 minute after applying the glue. If the size of the expanded polystyrene board is 120x60 cm, more than 8 strips of glue 1 cm wide must be applied. For this, a comb trowel is used. It is required to start from the bottom, rising in rows.

If the expanded polystyrene insulation does not have special locks, then after 3 days, assembly foam is introduced into the seams between its plates for sealing. Dowels can be used for fastening, so holes for them are drilled along the edges of the slabs and in the center of each of them.

Do-it-yourself waterproofing for insulating a columnar foundation can be used if protection from capillary water is required. The hydrostatic pressure level can reach up to 0.1 MPa.

The technique of coating waterproofing is quite simple. It is carried out using bitumen or polymer mastics covering the surface of the foundation with a film with waterproof properties. Application of coating technologies is typical for vertical waterproofing of foundations.

When carrying out horizontal coating waterproofing, it is necessary to take into account the fact that, due to their low strength, they are used only as auxiliary waterproofing layers. After processing each hole with a small amount of foam, dowel-nails are driven into them. Then, waterproofing is applied to the heat insulator with polymer mastic, and after it dries, the trench is covered with earth.

Pile foundation

How to insulate the foundation of a wooden house on piles? For a pile foundation, as well as for a columnar foundation, they construct a pick-up - an imitation of a basement, closing the space between the piles. This alone will reduce heat loss to some extent. For effective thermal insulation of the pile foundation, you need:

• arrange a plinth,
• insulate it from the inside and outside,
• insulate the floor.

You can build a thin brick wall around the perimeter, or you can use slab materials that are attached to the crate. If the option with a brick wall is chosen, you need to fill in a shallow concrete tape 20 cm thick, on which the wall will be built. It is not necessary to use ceramic bricks, you can take foam blocks or foam glass.

Important! Do not make the space under the floor airtight. After the device of the pick-up, it is necessary to make air vents in it - ventilation holes measuring 10-15 cm

They are placed evenly on all sides of the house so that they are opposite each other.

For fastening panels or slabs, a crate is made of a metal profile or wooden bars. As an external cladding, you can use, for example, DSP. There are already insulated facade panels that perform a decorative and heat-insulating function.

A shallow trench is dug under the cladding, where a layer of sand (2-3 cm) is poured, expanded clay is placed on it, and the trench is covered with earth on top, so that there is no gap between the soil and the cladding.

The video shows the device and insulation of the false base:

To insulate the pile foundation, use

• expanded polystyrene,
• Styrofoam,
• foamed glass in blocks,
• liquid penoizol (urea foam).

The first two options are most often used. Foamed glass is too expensive for a private house, and liquid penoizol requires special equipment or the work of specialists, which is also expensive. It is easier to insulate the foundation in a wooden house with your own hands with polystyrene or expanded polystyrene outside. The main thing is that the material does not absorb water, so mineral wool will not work here. They glue the foam on glue-foam, for reliability, you can use additional wooden strips, which are attached with self-tapping screws to the crate through the foam.

Important! It is advisable to fix the expanded polystyrene or polystyrene on the guides, and not between them. In this case, there will be no gaps and cold bridges, since the thermal conductivity of wood, and even more so of metal, is greater than that of foam

It is possible to insulate the pile foundation with foam or EPSP from the outside or from the inside. If this is done outside, then the insulation is attached before finishing. If the finish is already attached to the plinth, for example, if these are facade panels or DSP slabs, then the insulation is mounted from the inside.

Floor insulation

To insulate the floor in a wooden house on a pile foundation, I usually use mineral wool, basalt wool, expanded polystyrene, polystyrene, liquid insulation.

Thermal insulation is done during construction and flooring as follows:

1. They make a rough floor on which the insulation will lie.
2. A vapor barrier and windproof layer is first placed on the crate.
3. Then they put insulation.
4. Vapor barrier and waterproofing are placed on top.
5. After that, a finishing floor is built.

The layer of mineral wool should be at least 10 cm. If it is necessary to put cotton wool in two or more layers, this is done in a checkerboard pattern (so that the seams do not coincide). The video shows floor insulation in a house on a pile foundation.

For waterproofing, you can use glassine, polyethylene, isospan, wind-moisture protective film. Polyethylene is the cheapest option, but not the best.

Important! In a house made of wood on a pile foundation, it is imperative to treat all wooden floor elements with an antiseptic.Insulation of a pillar foundation differs little from insulation of a pile foundation, the same materials and techniques are used

Insulation of a columnar foundation differs little from insulation of a pile foundation, the same materials and techniques are used.

Why it is necessary to insulate the foundation

Under the influence of low temperatures, the soil begins to move, therefore, small cracks appear in the material from which the foundation is made. Groundwater gets into such pores and, freezing, expands them, which leads to the gradual destruction of the basement.

To avoid such consequences, the foundation is insulated even at the construction stage. You can install insulation material after the house has been in use for some time. In order for the thermal insulation layer to serve for a long time, it is covered with finishing materials. This design serves as a barrier against exposure to:

1. Moisture.
2. Temperature differences.
3. Mechanical type.

In addition, thermal insulation retains heat inside the premises, which means that you can spend less money on heating the house and at the same time have a pleasant microclimate.

Modern industry offers various types of thermal insulation materials that even a novice builder can easily handle.

Expanded clay

It is a material made of expanded and remelted clay. The material is very lightweight, porous and contains a lot of air. The air in the pores keeps you warm. Expanded clay has the following advantages over other heaters:

• low cost,
• low thermal conductivity,
• you can not be afraid of rodents,
• fireproof,
• ecologicaly clean ,
• resistance to low temperatures and temperature extremes,
• not susceptible to the formation of mold and mildew,
• moisture resistance.

Expanded clay has only one drawback - fragility. If the granules are damaged, the thermal insulation properties of the material deteriorate sharply

Therefore, when working with expanded clay, care must be taken not to damage the granules.

Styrofoam

Another popular and affordable material for insulation outside is polystyrene (expanded polystyrene or expanded polystyrene).

The popularity of polystyrene is provided by:

• low thermal conductivity,
• not afraid of humid environment, not susceptible to mold,
• resistance to chemical and aggressive substances,
• full preservation of operational characteristics in the temperature range from -180 ° to + 80 °.

The disadvantage of polystyrene is its low strength. When using it for external insulation, additional protection will be required (bricking or pouring with concrete).

Extruded polystyrene (penoplex)

This additional work can be avoided by using extruded polystyrene. Possessing all the advantages of expanded polystyrene, it still has a high resistance to deformation and mechanical damage.

But this material is not perfect either:

• burns very strongly
• at temperatures above 75 ° it releases substances harmful to humans,
• destroyed by ultraviolet radiation.

Polyurethane (PPU)

It is possible to carry out external insulation of the house using polyurethane. This material will allow you to achieve an amazing effect.

It is a synthetic polymer material with unique characteristics:

• has a minimum thermal conductivity,
• excellent adhesion (adhesion between surfaces),
• almost not saturated with moisture,
• mechanical strength,
• durable (the material does not rot or decompose),
• resistance to chemical environments.

When insulating PPU, a continuous continuous contour is created around the foundation without any gaps and gaps.

But PPU also has disadvantages that are characteristic of this particular material:

• destruction under the influence of ultraviolet radiation,
• smoldering at high temperatures,
• the material is expensive.