To understand why it is necessary to insulate the ceiling of a cold attic, let's clarify a little why an attic is needed in a private house and what its purpose is. Our ancestors built houses that could stand for more than 100 years, while it was warm inside, and wooden structure the roof was always dry.
In the past, they mainly built gable roofs with a slight slope. This was done so that in winter the snow could remain on the roof. Thus, snow was used as a natural insulator. One or two windows were made in the attic and kept closed in winter so that the compressed air acted as a heat insulator. In the summer, however, the situation was somewhat different. Attic windows were opened at night so that the air cooled down, and during the day, in hot weather, they were closed so that the air would not get too hot, thus regulating its temperature.
When snow fell in winter, it lay like a solid cover on the roof, becoming at the same time a natural insulation. Even in severe frosts, the temperature in the attic did not fall below zero. Thus, the air in the attic and the insulation of the ceiling made it possible to maintain the temperature in the house at the level of +20-25 °C. The roof slopes were not insulated so that the snow lying on the roof would not melt. The truss system remained open, making it possible to inspect and repair it if necessary. Therefore, in a cold attic, only the ceiling is insulated.
If the roof slopes are insulated, then the attic becomes a heated room, i.e. attic, which has a completely different functional purpose.
Now it remains to figure out how to insulate the attic floor in a private house, and what materials are used for thermal insulation.
Materials for insulation of the attic floor
There is a wide range of insulation materials on the market. To make a choice, it is necessary to take into account the conditions in which the heat-insulating material will be used:
- The material must retain its properties when temperature conditions from -30 to +30 °С. Should not freeze in severe frosts and should not emit harmful substances in hot weather.
- It is necessary to choose a fire-resistant insulation if there is electrical wiring in the attic.
- It is better to choose a material that is moisture resistant so that when wet it does not lose its thermal insulation properties.
- The insulation should not quickly caking in order to fulfill its purpose as long as possible.
Before deciding on the type of material for insulating the floor of a cold attic in a private house, it is necessary to consider what material the floor is made of. If the attic floor is made of wooden beams, then slab, roll and bulk insulation can be used. In the case when the attic floor is made of concrete slabs, then they resort to the use of heavy bulk or dense slab heat insulators. Their use makes it possible to make a cement screed on the floor.
Materials produced in the format of plates and mats:
- mineral wool (mineral wool) in mats;
- Styrofoam;
- extruded polystyrene foam;
- seaweed;
- straw.
Roll insulation:
- mineral wool;
- glass wool;
- stone wool;
- algae ladders;
Bulk materials for attic floor insulation:
- expanded clay;
- ecowool;
- reeds;
- sawdust;
- straw;
- slag;
- buckwheat tyrsa;
- foam granules.
Attic floor insulation wooden house must be made with ecological, natural and breathable material.
How to properly insulate the attic floor with mineral wool
Mineral wool is a common and modern heat insulator. Available in rolls or slabs (mats). It does not rot and does not burn, rodents and various kinds of microorganisms are also not afraid of it.
Warming the ceiling of a cold attic with mineral wool begins with laying the lining material on the floor. For a budget option, glassine is laid on the floor, but a more expensive and high-quality option is flooring made of vapor barrier film. The film is laid with an overlap, and the joints are glued with adhesive tape or fixed wooden slats, which are fixed with a construction stapler.
The width of the insulation is selected based on the requirements of thermal engineering standards for each region. Mineral wool is laid between the lags tightly and without gaps. The joints are glued with adhesive tape. After the insulation is laid, even boards are simply laid on the logs, thus forming the floor in the attic. Such a simple solution for creating a floor allows the mineral wool to "breathe" and ventilate normally if moisture gets on it. To prevent moisture from entering the mineral wool, waterproofing material is laid under the roof.
Mineral wool is laid in products personal protection: thick clothing, goggles, gloves, respirator.
Insulation of attic floor slabs with extruded polystyrene foam
Expanded polystyrene or polystyrene are not very dense materials, so they are used when the attic floor is a construction of logs and beams. If it is necessary to insulate the plates, use the insulation of the cold attic ceiling with extruded polystyrene foam. This material is stronger and therefore denser than conventional foam. Before laying it, the surface of the plates should be leveled. On the warm side of the floor, vapor barrier is not required, since concrete slabs have almost no vapor permeability.
On aligned concrete plates lay the vapor barrier film. Next, slabs of extruded polystyrene foam are laid in a checkerboard pattern. Joints are blown with mounting foam. After the foam dries and hardens, the heat-insulating plates are poured with a concrete solution 4-6 cm thick. When the screed dries, it is already suitable for use as a floor. Although you can go further and put any floor covering on the screed.
Thermal insulation of a cold attic with ecowool
Ecowool is a cellulose, light and loose insulation, consisting mainly of waste paper and newspapers. Other components - borax and boric acid are used as flame retardants.
Before insulation, it is necessary to put a film on the floor. The procedure for laying ecowool is carried out using a special blowing machine. A layer of insulation is applied as a continuous cover, without creating gaps. Since ecowool contains a large amount of air, a layer of 250-300 mm is usually enough.
Do not forget that over time, shrinkage of the material will occur. Therefore, apply a layer of ecowool 40-50 mm more.
After the insulation of the cold attic ceiling with ecowool is completed, it must be moistened. You can do this with ordinary water or prepare a solution of 200 gr. PVA glue on a bucket of water. Soak a regular broom in this solution and moisten the cotton well. After drying, a crust is formed on the surface of the cotton - lingin, which will not allow the cotton to move.
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to insulate the floor in the attic. Which one to apply depends on each specific situation. Most importantly, follow the right technology insulation installation! Then your house will always be warm, and the materials used will last for many years.
For comfortable operation of the building, it is necessary that the attic floor is well insulated to prevent the temperature of the ceiling surface from dropping below the dew point. Otherwise, moisture spots will definitely appear on the ceiling and walls, which will only worsen appearance rooms, but will also cause mold growth and the development of fungi, which are problematic to get rid of. Therefore, increased requirements are imposed on the thermal protection of the attic floor.
In accordance with the regulations, the heat transfer resistance for the attic floor must be at least the following value: Ro = 4.15 m 2 ° C / W. Attic floor country house insulated with slabs of mineral (basalt) or glass wool. Insulation slabs must be laid in the gaps between the ceiling beams or on the floor slabs. Mineral wool is laid on a vapor barrier layer or on a plastic film.
The foil insulation material is laid with the shiny side down. The space between the beams is filled with a layer of heat-insulating material. To reduce heat loss through cold bridges, another layer of thermal insulation is laid on top of the beams.
To reduce heat loss from light fiber insulation due to drafts, it is protected with a vapor-permeable windproof material. The use of such material allows you to increase the thermal protection of the attic floor and protect the insulation from getting wet if drops of moisture fall on it (in case of damage to the roof or leaks).
From the cornice, the insulation layer must also be protected from the wind by high-density mineral wool slabs or boards that are installed on the edge.
The attic or attic rooms, divided into compartments by partitions, can be insulated in various ways.
- The first way: if the attic is non-residential, then only the floors should be insulated - the ceiling of the building.
- The second way: if the attic has an attic, then it is necessary to insulate, in addition to the floors, the roof.
To insulate the roof of the attic and rooms are usually used:
- Construction felt.
- Mineral wool in various designs.
- Styrofoam.
- Polyurethane foam.
- Basalt, glass wool, ecowool.
Floors in the attic can be insulated with the following materials:
- Construction felt, mineral wool, glass wool.
- Foam boards.
- Expanded clay, slag, ash, sawdust, straw, reeds.
Before insulating the attic, the joints of the floor and roof are checked, the cracks are sealed with tow soaked in lime mortar. You can also use mounting foam, silicone adhesives and sealants.
Before performing work, all wooden structures are covered with antiseptic and fire retardant compounds.
When insulating a roof asbestos-cement sheets special attention should be paid to the gaps that are formed by the waves of asbestos-cement sheets. If there are gaps, then they are filled with tow in lime mortar.
The presence of protective covers, collars and aprons is checked at the junction of asbestos-cement sheets to parapets, pipes and walls. Let the coating elements on the protective floors be at least 15 cm.
Insulation of the attic with various materials
To insulate the attic and attic in a private house, different heaters are used:
- polystyrene foam
- polyurethane foam
- expanded clay
- felt, etc.
The process of insulation is the same for all materials, so consider the insulation of the attic using the example of mineral wool.
Before starting the attic insulation, it is necessary to waterproof the roof. Mineral wool is versatile and easy to use, has low thermal conductivity and density, withstands high temperatures well and is insensitive to aggressive environments. Mineral wool is also an excellent sound insulator.
Attic slopes can be insulated with mineral wool slabs and mats. The plates are more rigid, and the mats are elastic, this property helps to lay them better and denser. Foil-coated mineral wool mats are also used for vapor barrier.
Since usually the thickness of mineral wool is greater than the thickness of the rafters, overlays are made on them to increase the thickness. Also, the rafter system is pre-impregnated with an antiseptic solution.
Mineral wool is laid in the gaps between the rafters on the crate and covered with a film for vapor barrier. The vapor barrier film is laid overlapping truss system. The width of the overlap of the web is visible on the film - a line is drawn along the edge of the web. The joints of the film are insulated with special glue and adhesive tape.
Floor insulation with expanded clay
Expanded clay should be laid on the floor of the attic on roofing material. The thickness of the expanded clay layer is determined by the thermal conductivity of the floor, but in any case, the thickness of the expanded clay should be at least 15 cm, and preferably 20-25 cm.
It is known that up to 15% of the heat from the house can go through the ceiling. Therefore, to reduce heat losses, the ceiling is insulated with expanded clay and other materials. Expanded clay not only retains heat, but also increases sound insulation.
Expanded clay is usually used for insulation concrete floor. To do this, it is covered with a layer of 200-250 mm, poured on top with a cement screed up to 50 mm thick. The screed will serve as the floor.
The cement-sand mortar for the screed must be of a dense consistency so that it does not flow into the expanded clay backfill.
Warming with mineral wool
- Mineral wool should be laid from the farthest point of the attic.
- You need to cut the insulation on a hard surface.
- Beams, pipes, ventilation shafts, etc. should be covered with insulation.
- Mineral wool should be laid in a layer of at least 25 cm.
When working with mineral wool, personal protective equipment is required. These are goggles, rubber gloves, a respirator and long sleeves. Do not work near open food and drinking water. Contact with mineral wool on the skin causes irritation and itching.
Insulation with polyurethane foam
Insulation of the attic with polyurethane foam is carried out by spraying on partitions, roofs, gables and attic floors, so the thermal insulation layer is obtained without seams and joints, that is, a monolithic vapor-tight layer is obtained.
Polyurethane foam has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, so the thickness of the polyurethane foam layer is several times smaller than the mineral wool or foam plastic layer.
The use of polyurethane foam increases the usable area of the attic space.
An attic insulated with a sprayed layer of polyurethane foam is not affected by moisture, condensation does not form on the walls, because polyurethane foam keeps warm air inside. Moisture does not pass through polyurethane foam and cannot settle on a cold roof.
Floor insulation with sawdust is used only in non-residential attics, since sawdust will gradually compact when walking, which will lead to cracks in the concrete screed. The most common solution recipe using sawdust to insulate the attic floor:
- Ten buckets of small sawdust.
- One bucket of cement, at least 300 grades.
- One bucket of fluffy lime.
- Ten liters of water with antiseptic. It can be boric acid, copper sulfate, laundry soap.
The volume of water varies depending on the moisture content of the sawdust. The finished solution of sawdust is laid in layers of 20-25 cm thick and rammed. All building materials that are used in the walls of the house must be vapor-permeable. That is, it is impossible to use roofing material, polyethylene, roofing felt and other materials that do not allow moisture to pass through.
From above, a layer of sawdust during insulation is closed with shields made of plywood, fiberboard or boards. The thickness of the layer of sawdust on the walls should be at least 15 cm, on the floors and on the floor - at least 25 cm. When insulating the floor, a cement screed 5-10 cm thick is made on top of the sawdust.
An attic is a living space arranged under the roof of a house. To put it simply, this is a residential attic.
The experience of arranging housing under the roof of a building came to us from France. At one time, the inhabitants of Paris began to develop attics, seeing the benefits in obtaining additional living space.
In modern individual construction owners of housing construction willingly equip attics under the roof of their homes. The floor in the attic is part of the floor structure. How to make an attic floor so that it meets modern requirements? We will talk about this in this article.
Attic floor area
Floor area depends on the shape of the roof The area of the attic space largely depends on the shape of the roof of the house. As a rule, the angle of the roof slope in each housing construction is different. If the roof is gable, the attic has two end vertical walls.
The presence of windows in these walls is very important. four pitched roof or a roof of a more complex configuration will require a tie-in window openings into the roof of the house.
All these factors greatly affect the size of the attic, including the size of its area. Also, the size of the floor surface is associated with the design of the passage to the room from the first floor.
Features of the device passage to the attic
Often, homebuilding owners are limited to a small hatch in the attic floor.
A small hatch allows only a person to pass through or deliver small-sized cargo to the attic.
In the case of a reinforced concrete floor, the hatch is made no larger than 700x700 mm.
When constructing a hatch in a finished reinforced concrete floor, you will encounter complex and time-consuming work on cutting the opening and strengthening it.
The more space allotted for the stairs, the easier it will be to climb. To get a person to the attic, he will need to climb an uncomfortable, almost vertical ladder. What about children and the elderly? When young owners equip their home, they often do not think about it.
There is only one way out of this situation - the device of an external staircase. Of course, this will involve additional costs. But there is one significant plus, it lies in the fact that you save the attic area, unlimited by the passage.
Types of floors under the roof of the house
In private houses, two types of floors are mainly used:
- wooden floor;
- reinforced concrete slabs.
Floors in the attic on a wooden floor
The roof is made up of wooden beams. With a span of 6 to 12 m, beams are laid from a pine beam with a section of 200 x 200 mm. On wooden beams, flooring is made of boards 40-50 mm thick.
On a wooden flooring put logs from a bar with a step of 400 - 500 mm. The cover is insulated.
Floor insulation and soundproofing
First of all, the floor space is covered with a layer of vapor barrier made of a thick polyethylene film. A heater is laid between the lags. These can be mineral wool mats, polyurethane boards or other similar material. 
Very often, mineral wool is used as a floor insulation because of its cheapness. However, you should know that at the slightest penetration of moisture into the underground, the cotton wool will turn into useless dust.
If there is heating in the house and the building is used in winter time the need for additional thermal insulation of the attic floor is eliminated. Of great importance is the device for soundproofing the floor.
Some experts advise filling the vapor barrier with a small layer of sand, explaining this by the effect of the noiselessness of hitting the sandbag.
The sand layer is made with a reliable bearing capacity of the floor base.
Floor finish
You can use any material for flooring, in particular, wooden floors look good in a wooden house On the logs, it is best to lay a plank flooring 20 mm thick with lock connections"thorn-groove". The rough flooring is attached to the joists with nails or screws.
Mounting sockets must be recessed into the tree. flooring from chipboard sheets will not require additional leveling of the surface.
The flooring is sanded by hand with sandpaper or a grinder. Then they must be impregnated with an antiseptic or drying oil. The floor is painted or varnished.
Plywood - a cheap and practical coating The treated floor in the attic is also used as a subfloor for the finishing coat.
What will the flooring be? attic space, depends on the taste and financial capabilities of the owners of the house.
You can lay parquet from laminate, lay linoleum, carpet. It is also perfectly acceptable to arrange a vinyl floor covering.
The device of the floor in the attic on reinforced concrete floors
Floor in the attic concrete base is no different from the usual coating on interfloor floors of reinforced concrete slabs. The device floor consists of several stages:
- The concrete base is cleaned of dust and dirt. Cracks and chips are filled with cement mortar.
- The entire area is covered with a vapor barrier made of polyethylene film.
- Mineral wool insulation is placed on the film, polyurethane boards or make a backfill of expanded clay. In general, the insulation material can be from different materials.
- Expanded clay backfill is covered with a layer cement mortar. The screed is made with a horizontal and even surface.
- The laid insulation is covered with fiberboard sheets or chipboard plates.
- For the installation of wooden floors on the vapor barrier, logs are installed from wooden beam. Insulation is placed between the lags.
- Plank flooring is laid on the logs.
- By cement screed satisfied with the floor covering of any kind floor coverings. The screed is treated with a primer. On such a base it is convenient to lay self-adhesive linoleum or vinyl parquet with an adhesive base.
Today, the installation of underfloor heating in the attic is relevant. Of course, there is no question of installing a water heating system.
This is expensive and not worth doing.
However, options such as cable electric heating on a dry floor or infrared heating are quite possible. For more information on how to make floors on the second floor, see this video:
The least labor costs arise when installing infrared heating. IR elements are placed directly under the laminate flooring substrate.
All the "pros and cons" of the device of one or another type of underfloor heating depend on the combination of financial capabilities, technical availability and other circumstances.
The main requirement for any home is that it must be warm. To achieve this, it is necessary to insulate not only the walls, but also the attic. Professional craftsmen will insulate the attic efficiently and quickly, but their work is expensive. So if you want to save money, get ready to do it right yourself.
materials
Most often, attic insulation is carried out using polyurethane foam, mineral wool or expanded clay.
Each of these materials has certain advantages and disadvantages.
Polyurethane foam (PPU)
This material is a type of plastic. With its help, the attic floor, roof, gables are insulated. PPU has many advantages:
- strengthening the strength of the roof (after application, the PPU layer turns into a single structure without cracks and cracks);
- low thermal conductivity;
- durability (service life of at least 30 years);
- excellent adhesion with any building materials (no need to use additional fasteners when applying);
- lightness, small layer thickness (which saves attic space and reduces the load on supporting structures);
- moisture resistance (PPU, due to its properties, protects itself from moisture, so there is no need to create moisture and vapor barrier layers);
- resistance to mold, penetration of rodents and insects;
- possibility of operation at any temperature (not afraid of drops from -200° to +200° С).
Such a heater is made right on the spot from a minimum number of components. Polyurethane foam is an excellent protection for the attic of a private house from cold, moisture and heat loss.
PPU is afraid of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, so it must be protected with a layer of plaster or paint, covered with various panels. Polyurethane foam is a slow-burning material, but under the influence high temperature he will start to smolder. Do not use it in places where there is strong heating.
Mineral wool
With it, you can completely insulate the attic in a private house. Since the structure of the material is such that it perfectly passes steam, it must be protected from the inside with a vapor and waterproofing layer.
Mineral wool is a non-combustible material, at a temperature of +1000 ° C it does not even melt. It is resistant to biological effects (microorganisms do not multiply in it). It has low thermal conductivity.
Mineral wool is produced in the form of mats or rolls. It is laid between the rafters and lags.
The weight of the material is considerable, which increases the load on the supporting structures. Before proceeding with the insulation of the attic, you need to make sure that the roof and all supporting structures are reliable. Or, provide for the use of this type of insulation at the design stage of the house and strengthen the supporting structures.
The ingress of moisture adversely affects the thermal properties of mineral wool.
Expanded clay
Expanded clay can be used to insulate the attic of a private house. This, moreover, it is lightweight, fireproof, environmentally friendly. Expanded clay is strong and durable, moisture resistant, not afraid of temperature changes. Most often they insulate the floor of the attic. Applying the material indoors, you need to create a vapor barrier coating.
When insulating a cold attic with expanded clay, a frame is created (a special “box” on the floor, into which insulation granules are poured, a wooden floor is laid on top of it). This "eats" a certain amount of space.
When insulating the attic of a house, it is better to choose several types of heat insulator. used for horizontal surfaces, mineral wool or polyurethane foam - for vertical ones. Such an arrangement will be cheaper, and installation is more convenient.
Warming technology
Before insulating the attic, for example, with mineral wool, it is necessary to prepare the following tools and materials:
- mounting stapler (with staples 5-7 mm);
- special tape;
- mounting foam;
- construction knife;
- waterproofing film;
- vapor barrier material;
- glue for mineral wool (nails and screws);
- eye and hand protection.
Before starting work, it is necessary to measure the area to be insulated: for this, the width of the surfaces is multiplied by their length. Then you need to decide how many layers of insulation will be used. For middle lane In Russia, a layer of mineral wool for warming the attic of a private house should be at least 20 cm.
Room preparation
It is necessary to completely free the room from foreign objects. Remove all seals from the slots, construction debris, cobwebs. All surfaces must be properly cleaned. It is necessary to provide good lighting in the attic. Then put in essential tool and material.
For convenience, you can put several sheets of plywood on the logs of the attic floor. Seal all cracks in the roof ventilation ducts mounting foam.
In the event that an attic is not planned in the attic, it is made ventilated. To do this, special ventilation troughs are attached with brackets under the roof.
If cold attic are insulated in order to create an additional room, then it is not necessary to install such gutters.
Installation of a waterproofing layer
A waterproofing film is needed to protect the mineral wool and the entire room from moisture. This layer is especially important if the attic of a house with an old roof is insulated.
The film must be tightly stretched onto the truss structure of the entire roof with small overlaps. So the waterproofing layer will become airtight. Fix it with a mounting stapler.
On the one hand, mineral wool slabs are treated with glue (it is applied with a spatula) and pressed tightly into fragments between the rafters. You can fix the insulation on nails or screws. Laying is carried out along the slope from the bottom up in two layers. The joints of the plates should be staggered: this will reduce heat loss. Often, mineral wool slabs are simply inserted into sections of the truss structure.
If mineral wool is used in rolls, then its installation is carried out directly from the roll in order to avoid taking the necessary dimensions and cutting the material. If necessary, you can cut off the mineral wool with a clerical or construction knife, after placing a plank under it.
Be sure to insulate communications in the attic, ventilation shafts.
Installation of a vapor barrier layer
So that moisture does not affect the life of mineral wool, it is necessary to fix the vapor barrier layer. The film is fixed with a stapler on the plates. For tightness, the joints are glued with special adhesive tape.
Making a crate for decorative trim
You can sheathe the attic space with OSB boards or drywall. To do this, you need to properly make the frame. To save money, you can install the crate flush with the truss system.
The rafters are the basis of the frame, between them you need to lay the crossbars. If this option is not suitable, you can create a full-fledged frame from a metal profile.
Floor insulation
When insulating a cold attic with mineral wool, logs are laid on the floor that will hold all the material. Then they perform work similar to the one described above: first waterproofing, then insulation and vapor barrier. After that, they are laid strictly according to the level, for example, OSB board in 10-12 mm and cover it with varnish.
It is possible to insulate the attic with your own hands correctly and quickly if you correctly approach the choice of heat-insulating material and carefully study the technology of its installation.
The presence of an attic in the house opens up new opportunities for the owners. Firstly, it helps to give a stylish appearance to the building as a whole, and secondly, it rationalizes and enlarges the living space. Subject to all the rules, the attic can be used as a full-fledged residential floor. Particular attention in the construction of the attic should be given to the arrangement of the floor. In order for the floor of the second floor to meet state standards, be durable and reliable, it is necessary to follow the established rules during construction activities.
Features of the attic
Before you start working on creating a high-quality and warm floor in the superstructure, you should be aware of the main features of such a room:
- The attic floor can have any geometry, it all depends on the choice of the type of roof. It can be broken, symmetrical or asymmetrical designs. The location of the under-roof space can be both along the entire length, and also located on one side of the longitudinal axis.
- The location of the attic floor can extend to the entire quadrature of the building or to any part of it. If the protrusion is limited, then such a room lies on the extension of the console.
- The planned project depends on several factors. The main parameter is the architecture of the entire structure and the bearing capacity of the walls of the house.
Advice! To arrange for attic floor floor, ceiling and walls, experts recommend choosing relatively light building materials so as not to burden the structure of the whole house.
- As a rule, the attic area is large, so it is important to avoid heat loss during the arrangement. Despite the fact that the lower plane is not in contact with external environment, the area needs high-quality thermal insulation.
The attic can have any configuration, which opens up new opportunities for interesting design projects. In addition to the aspect of rationalization and increase in full-fledged living space, the attic floor is economical. Practice shows that building an attic is cheaper than building full floor the same area. In addition to the functional advantages, it is impossible not to say about the aesthetics. Attics give the whole building a more expressive and unusual look. Understanding the features of the construction of the attic floor in a private house, it is possible during planning to take into account all the important points when arranging the floor in order to avoid mistakes and discomfort in the future. Particular attention should be paid to floor insulation.
Arrangement of the lower plane
By virtue of design features attic, when arranging the floor, you need to remember that in order to climb to the second floor, you will need to equip a hatch, which will subsequently connect to the stairs. To do this, you need to choose its location and leave enough space for its device. The algorithm for arranging the lower plane of the attic floor is as follows:
- We clean up to prepare the base. To do this, we remove debris, tools and foreign objects from the surface.
- The next step is to test the floors for strength. What is it for? It is on the floors that the main operational load falls, so it is extremely important to make sure of their strength and reliability. We carefully examine the beams for integrity and the absence of decay.
- We make preparation of wooden log. Their installation is a fundamental stage, the work depends on several factors. The choice of the lag section and the distance between them during the laying process depends on the spacing of the floors, as well as the thickness of the board. The length of the lag should correspond to the size of the roof space.
- Installation of extreme support strips. Installation and fastening is carried out using self-tapping screws or nails. Planks are fixed directly to the pediment or side partitions. The principle of installation is determined by the location of the roof structure.
- It is necessary to put a strong crossbar along the edge of the proposed hatch. To make the fastening reliable, you can use steel corners.
- After the final location of the hatch for entering the attic floor, the remaining logs are installed, taking into account the design features. In this case, the wooden crossbars should be located in the same plane.
It must be remembered that the floor in the attic is the ceiling for the lower floor in the house. Therefore, the reliability of floors and high-quality arrangement will become the key to comfort and safety for all households. At this stage, the preparatory work on the arrangement of the floor is completed. You can move on to an equally important part of the work - insulation.
The choice of insulation
When choosing a gasket for the floor on the attic floor, you need to avoid making the structure heavier. There are many building insulation materials on the market. Which of them is optimal for warming the attic floor, you should understand in detail. We remember that the ceiling of the lower floor is also the basis for the attic. Therefore, heavy insulation should be avoided, as they put excessive stress on ceiling beams and ceilings. Experts recommend the following heaters:
- Styrofoam is the easiest way to insulate the floor. Advantages:
- affordability;
- excellent thermal conductivity;
- moisture resistance and biological stability;
- ease of installation.
In addition to the advantages of using polystyrene foam as insulation for the floor in the attic, there are also disadvantages. The material has low vapor permeability, little strength, and is also a fertile environment for rodents.
- Polystyrene extruded. Representative of the modern generation of floor insulation, which has the following advantages:
- high rates of moisture resistance;
- low thermal conductivity threshold;
- slot fastening system.
The disadvantages include the high cost of the material and low vapor permeability.
- Mineral wool - optimal choice for floor insulation in the attic. Pros of using:
- the material is fireproof;
- has low thermal conductivity;
- moisture resistant;
- environmentally friendly for households.
The disadvantages include the high cost and the presence of joints during installation. Slots and joints that may result from installation must be sealed with special mastics.
- Expanded clay is one of the most effective materials for floor insulation. This heater is a budget option with good performance. Pros:
- lightness;
- maximum filling of voids;
- environmental Safety.
Important! When choosing expanded clay for floor insulation in an apartment or semi-attic, you need to take into account its shrinkage, the coefficient is 1.15.
Glass wool is considered a classic of insulation. But, along with safer and more modern thermal insulation materials, its characteristics are not ideal. Choosing a heater for the floor, you need to proceed not only from financial possibilities, but also from the aspect of durability. As they say, the miser pays twice! Therefore, savings in measures to insulate the floor of the attic is not appropriate.
Floor insulation in the attic
The arrangement of the floor in the superstructure is an important stage. In the process, it is necessary to eliminate any errors that could lead to negative consequences. As a result of improper installation, the ceiling of the lower floor of the house may suffer. The algorithm of work on floor insulation includes several stages:
- Creation of a high-quality vapor barrier layer. To do this, the entire prepared surface is covered with a special film. This is necessary in order to avoid the accumulation of condensate from the lower floor. When laying the coating, it is necessary to overlap the canvases by 15-20 centimeters.
- Heater installation. Insulation is placed between the lags. It is important to monitor the formation of gaps between the plates, so it is recommended to make an overlap of 2 centimeters.
- On top of the insulation lays the next layer of vapor barrier film. In this case, the installation is carried out on a flat surface, and the material is fixed on the logs with staples or nails.
- Preparing the crate for laying floor boards.
- On top of the crossbars, wooden flooring is laid. You can use veneer or edged boards. The joints between the planks are fastened with staples, screws or nails. Such flooring is called a subfloor.
- The floor is being finished.
When using wood in work, attention should be paid to antiseptic and fire-fighting treatment. This will help prevent rotting as a result of moisture ingress, increase the level of fire safety in the room.
Important! Between the layers of hydro and vapor barrier, it is necessary to create an air gap of 50 millimeters. This will help increase the life of the floor in the attic!
When choosing materials for arranging the floor, preference should be given to lightweight, energy-saving, vapor-tight and soundproof.
Flooring on the second floor.
There are several basic rules for creating a high-quality, durable and reliable floor on the attic floor:
- The focus is on sealing the entire structure. To do this, all joints, corners or cracks are treated with sealant lubricants or insulating tape.
- In the case of installation of a self-leveling floor, the surface is pre-primed. For a perfectly even floor, a self-leveling compound is used, diluted with water in the correct proportion. On such a floor, you can lay tiles, carpet, laminate or any other decorative coating.
- Do not leave the space between the lags empty. If the voids are not filled, the floor can resonate with a loud booming sound. To fill the space, you can use loose insulation, expanded polystyrene in granules or expanded clay crumbs. This technique helps to perform both soundproofing and insulation.
- It is better to do floor insulation in a two-layer way. In this case, ligation of seams and beams with a thickness of at least 150 millimeters is performed.
The arrangement of the floor depends on what material the floors in the house are made of. It can be wooden beams or reinforced concrete floor. In the work on arranging the floor, one should pay not only to the choice of high-quality materials, but also to safety. Knowing all the details and step by step algorithm actions, you can do all the work with your own hands no less qualitatively than professionals with experience will do.
Proper insulation of the attic and attic ceiling.