Instructions for insulating the outside walls of a wooden house with mineral wool and other materials. Features of insulating a wooden house from the outside with mineral wool Insulating wooden walls with mineral wool

550 10/06/2019 6 min.

Very often during the construction of wooden houses (and even after construction) such type of work as external insulation is used mineral wool under the siding. Of course, wood is one of the warmest materials, however, it also needs additional insulation, especially if the house is built in northern latitudes.

Moreover, under the siding there must be a heat-insulating layer, which is what mineral wool does in this case. In this article we will consider all the pros and cons of this type of insulation and find out how to properly install mineral wool outside wooden house under the siding.

Peculiarities

Cotton wool can be used as insulation under both metal and plastic siding. What are the characteristic features of mineral wool as a heat-insulating material?

Most often, mineral wool is used for internal insulation, however, since in this case the material will be covered with siding, it is also used for external work.

Today there are three main types of mineral wool:

• stone (mineral, basalt);
• fiberglass.
• Ecowool.

But you can read how this or that is used in the article at the link.

Ecowool has cellulose fibers. This is the most environmentally friendly type of material, however, and the most expensive. Therefore, it is more suitable for interior work. The stone variety is made from mineral raw materials, and the fiberglass variety is made from waste from glass production.

All these types can be used for external insulation under siding. Moreover, they all have one common advantage: not flammable. And when insulating wooden structure non-flammability is a very important characteristic. With proper installation and proper operation, this insulation can last for quite a long time without losing its performance characteristics.

pros

Let's look at the advantages of using mineral wool when insulating a wooden house. Cotton wool has excellent soundproofing properties. The material does not conduct sounds at all, so in your home you will be reliably protected from various noises from the street.

This is a very economical material. Especially compared to more modern and high-tech counterparts.

Cotton wool is non-flammable. A very important property, especially when finishing flammable wooden houses.

Mineral wool- environmentally friendly material. The insulation does not harm the health of people living in the house. Therefore, in addition to external work, mineral wool is very often (and predominantly) used for internal insulation.

Mineral wool insulates a building well. An additional heat-insulating layer will never hurt in our climatic conditions. And cotton wool copes with this function perfectly. The thermal insulation properties of the material are so high that for clarity, we can give the following example: insulation 5 cm thick in its thermal characteristics and the degree of protection of the house from cold, wind and frost can be comparable to a brick wall 90 cm thick. Agree, there is a rather significant difference in the thickness of the materials and the same characteristics.

High thermal insulation properties are also good because you will subsequently have to spend less on heating the room. On average, the savings will be approximately 50%. But what are they? proper insulation facade of a house made of aerated concrete, and what you should pay attention to is indicated

Mineral wool has good vapor permeability. This indicator is very important, since with poor vapor permeability there is no normal air exchange, wet steam stagnates, settling on the walls and ceiling.

As a result, fungus and mold appear. Excess moisture is unacceptable, since, accumulating, it can destroy not only the insulation itself, but also the walls of the building: they simply begin to rot. The vapor permeability of mineral wool will ensure the normal release of moisture to the outside.

In the video, insulation of a wooden house from the outside with mineral wool under siding:

Cotton wool can be laid at any time of the year: even in winter frost, even in summer heat. The performance properties of the material will not suffer at all from this. But there is a ban on working with mineral wool during rain, as the material quickly gets wet.

Plastic mineral wool can easily fill voids and holes, which is not always possible, say, when insulating with rigid foam.

Thanks to these characteristics, many experts: builders and finishers recommend using mineral wool for insulation of wooden houses under siding.

Minuses

For a more complete picture, it is necessary to take into account the existing disadvantages of this type of insulation.

When installing wool, inconvenience may arise due to the fact that the material is dusty. Upon contact with the material, the smallest particles of dust, dust, and fibers are constantly separated from it. All this hangs in the air, settles on clothes, hair, gets into the nose, mouth. For allergy sufferers, it will be impossible to carry out work for this reason. And those who do not suffer from allergies still need to install mineral wool in special respirators to protect themselves from inhaling its particles.

Sometimes the phenol level in cotton wool is exceeded. And then the material can be dangerous to health, and if inhaled for a long time, even to life. One way or another, phenol is present in any cotton wool, however, in high-quality material its content is minimal: exactly as much as is necessary to ensure technical properties products. But if the manufacturer does not comply with GOSTs, standards, and other parameters, then he may well produce cotton wool in violation. Therefore, be sure to request quality certificates for products when purchasing. And pay attention to the phenol level indicated in them.

Cotton wool is not very resistant to water. If additional waterproofing is not carried out, the moisture accumulated in the insulation can eventually lead to rotting of the wooden walls. Here's how to insulate wooden windows, and what material is the best. indicated

Mice love mineral wool. Because of its softness, cotton wool is excellent for wintering these rodents: they make nests and passages in the material. Over time, these uninvited guests can tear the material apart, significantly weakening its thermal insulation and other important characteristics.

Installation

Let's look at how exactly a wooden house is insulated from the outside with mineral wool under siding.

What you will need

In order to competently and efficiently carry out work on insulating a wooden house with mineral wool for siding, you will need:

• The mineral wool itself;
• Suspension (straight);
• Screws or dowels;
• Metal profiles;
• Reinforcing mesh;
• Glue;
• Self-tapping screws.

It will also be useful to learn about how insulation is installed when

On video editing mineral wool on a wooden house outside under siding:

It is best to use wooden blocks or a metal profile made of galvanized material when attaching mineral wool to walls. This lathing will make the walls even and securely fasten the wool. Subsequently, thanks to the lathing, the siding can be installed more evenly and efficiently. But you can see what they look like in the article at the link.

Stages of work

First, it is necessary to remove dirt from the surface of the outside of the house, remove dust, and get rid of protruding parts that may interfere with installation. This preparation will help you install the insulation more quickly and efficiently. After cleaning, it is recommended to treat the walls with an antifungal solution. This will protect the walls from mold and rot.

After antiseptic treatment, it is time to install the sheathing. If wooden blocks are used, they are attached with self-tapping screws. And if a metal profile is used, then special metal hangers will be needed.

Then you need to apply a special adhesive to the walls, onto which the insulation is actually glued. To keep the cotton wool securely, glue alone is not enough: the material is quite heavy. Therefore, during the installation process, the slabs are additionally attached to the wall with dowels.

The cotton wool must be laid very tightly, in horizontal rows, leaving no gaps or gaps between the slabs. If there is a need for cutting, then you can cut the slab with a simple knife.

After the insulation is applied to the walls, additional reinforcement is made, which will save the mineral wool from the appearance of cracks and creases. In addition, this procedure will allow the material to become more resistant to weather changes and various external influences. Before reinforcement, special glue is applied to the mineral wool. And after the mesh is fixed, another layer of glue is needed on top.

In the video, insulation of the walls of a wooden house from the outside with mineral wool:

The first step is to soberly assess own strength. If you have construction skills, it is possible to cope with insulation yourself, even alone. However, if in doubt, it is better to hire specialists.

We recommend using mineral wool in slabs for wall insulation. The most convenient for installation are slabs measuring 100x50 cm. Such small pieces of material can be easily handled alone. The rolled version can also be used, however, installation will become more complicated. In addition, mineral wool in rolls over time can also slide off the walls, exposing part of the house under the roof. And cold air from the street will begin to penetrate through unprotected areas, worsening the microclimate in the house. In addition, heating costs will therefore be much higher.

In the video, insulating the ceiling in a wooden house with mineral wool:

Choose insulation, taking into account the climatic characteristics of the region in which you live. In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to technical features. The thickness of the material, the degree of soundproofing properties, and other indicators are very important. For regions with cold climates, it is necessary to use mineral wool with a thickness of at least 100 mm. This thickness is guaranteed to provide the house with heat without letting it out.

When choosing, pay attention to the density of the material. For outdoor work, this indicator for mineral wool should be at least 50-70 kg/m3.

We examined the features of external insulation of a wooden house with mineral wool for siding. As you can see, there are no particular difficulties here. However, if you do not have construction skills, then it is better to turn to professionals. But if you have time to figure it out and have your hands in the right place, then it won’t be too difficult to carry out home insulation work yourself, using our advice and your own experience.

When building a wooden house great value paid to insulating the walls from the outside, which allows not only to create the most comfortable living conditions in the house, but also to significantly save on its heating.

One of the best materials used as insulation for wooden buildings is mineral wool.

Benefits of mineral wool

This thermal insulation material has whole line undeniable advantages, thanks to which the insulation of wooden walls from the outside continues to gain increasing popularity. Let us note the most significant of them:

• Excellent thermal insulation characteristics. A wooden house insulated with mineral wool is warm even during the harshest winter.
• High sound insulation ability. Mineral wool perfectly protects premises from external sources noise, providing a state of peace and comfort in the house.
• The material is not subject to the destructive effects of chemicals.
• Fire safety of the material.
• Frost resistance is another plus of this material. Insulating a wooden house with mineral wool from the outside can be successfully done in any climatic conditions. In addition, mineral wool is not subject to deformation, withstanding sudden temperature changes.
• Economical. The material is easy to install, and therefore the insulation of wooden walls from the outside can be done independently, without having any special skills. This will allow you to avoid spending money on hired workers.

Installation of mineral wool

Installation of mineral wool can be done in two different ways:

The first way to insulate the walls outside a wooden house is to install a hanging structure, or the so-called “”. When constructing such a structure, a special wooden or metal carcass. Then mineral wool is placed in the inter-profile spaces, after which the external cladding of the wall is performed with corrugated sheets, siding or other similar materials.

The second method of insulating a wooden house with mineral wool is “wet”.

In this case, mineral wool slabs are glued to the surface of a wooden wall, then a layer of primer is applied to them, into which the reinforcing mesh is pressed, and only after that the finishing plastering begins.

Installation of a ventilated facade

During construction, also pay attention to such indicators as:

• water absorption of the material – below 70;
• thermal conductivity coefficient – ​​not higher than 0.044.

Work on insulating wooden walls from the outside is carried out in several stages:

1. Treat the wall with an antiseptic and allow it to dry completely.
2. Install a vapor barrier layer. To do this, use a waterproofing film, roofing felt or foil. The vapor barrier film is attached with the fleecy side to the wall. It is important to remember that when laying an insulating layer between it and the wall of a wooden house, it is necessary to leave a small gap for exit excess moisture. Otherwise, the wooden walls will begin to rot and fungus will form on them.
3. Construct formwork from boards for fastening mineral wool

The boards need to be nailed edgewise to the wall. It is worth noting that if the insulation has elastic edges, then the spaces between the posts are 2 centimeters smaller than the width of the mineral wool slabs.

1. Fill the gaps of the frame with insulation. To more effectively insulate the walls outside a wooden house, mineral wool is placed in the gaps of the frame in 2 layers. For the top layer, insulation with a higher density is used, laying it in such a way that the middle of the slabs falls on the joints of the bottom layer.
2. Carefully inspect the insulating layer for the presence of gaps, or so-called “cold bridges”. If gaps between the slabs are found, they are sealed with pieces of mineral wool of the required size.
3. They install another layer of vapor barrier - this time, the film should be laid with the glossy side inward.
4. To ensure free movement of air inside the structure, slats are attached to the frame over the insulation. The thickness of the slats should be about five centimeters.
5. Perform exterior wall finishing.

Installation of mineral wool using the “wet” method

When using this method of insulating a wooden house with mineral wool, it is recommended to choose insulation whose density is higher than 80-120 kg/m².

Produced in the following sequence:

1. Clean and prime the surface of the wooden wall.
2. Mount the cornice on the wall (from the bottom side). The cornice serves as a support for the heat-insulating material - it levels the structure horizontally and protects from bad weather and insects.
3. Glue is applied to the mineral wool slabs.
4. Carefully attach it to the wall. The principle of gluing plates is similar to the principle brickwork. When gluing door and window openings, the joints of the slabs should not be at the corners of the openings.
5. When the glue is completely dry, the mineral wool must be fixed using dowels - “fungi”. It is important to ensure that the “caps” of the dowels do not protrude above the mineral wool.
6. Further on the corners and around doorways fix the reinforcing mesh and leave everything for a day to “set” the materials.
7. A layer of mounting plaster is applied and the reinforcing mesh is “immersed” in it. After this, a second leveling layer of plaster is applied.
8. Finishing of the walls is carried out.

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To ensure a comfortable stay in the house, it is necessary that the temperature and humidity conditions of the premises are observed. This can be done using reliable thermal insulation of structures. Insulating houses from the outside with mineral wool under siding is the most pressing problem, since these two materials are most common in private construction due to their characteristics and cost.

Material selection

Mineral wool in the form of a roll and block

To insulate the walls of a house from the outside, simply saying that you need mineral wool is not enough. This material has several varieties. Two main classifications can be imagined:

• according to the form of product release;
• on raw materials for production.

The following can be said about the first division. You can carry out thermal insulation with mineral wool produced in mats and slabs. The mats are rolled up, the slabs are packaged and transported in separate blocks. To insulate walls from the outside, there is no fundamental difference; you can use both options.

The difference lies in the density of the material. Limitations arise, for example, if you perform thermal insulation of the floor, which is exposed to high pressure. Insulating the walls of a house with mineral wool is an event that provides high efficiency.

Depending on the raw materials for manufacturing, the following types of material can be given:

• Stone or basalt wool. The most common in construction, produced in slabs. The material is resistant to deformation and fire. A special water-repellent substance is introduced into the composition during production. This composition allows you to increase the ability of the material to resist moisture.
• Glass wool. Release form: mats (rolls). The material consists of 80% broken glass, so when working with it you should use protective gloves and a mask. If you neglect the rules for working with glass wool, particles of the material will get on the skin, eyes and lungs, causing itching, irritation or even swelling. The material has high thermal insulation efficiency. The temperature at which the insulation of the outside walls of a house with such mineral wool under siding does not lose its characteristics is from -60 to +450 degrees Celsius.
• Slag wool. The most budget option of those listed, but despite this it is used quite rarely. The material is made from waste from various industries. When purchasing, it is important to control what kind of production these products are and whether they pose a danger to life and health. Insulation under the siding of a wooden or brick house from the outside must be safe, so when using such mineral wool, you need to make sure of its composition. The only advantage of such insulation over its counterparts can be called cost. In terms of thermal conductivity and hygroscopicity, slag wool is inferior to glass and stone. If moisture gets on the surface of a heat insulator with insufficient waterproofing on the outside, acidic substances are formed, which are aggressive environment for other house designs.

Advantages of using the material

Insulating a brick or wooden house under siding and attaching a protective layer to the outside of the walls allows you to obtain the following benefits for its future owner:

• Good thermal insulation properties. It is important to remember one rule: the lower the thermal conductivity, the better. Low thermal conductivity means that the house will have minimal heat losses, low heating costs and normal temperature and humidity conditions in the premises. Insulation of house walls under siding effective material allows significant savings during the operation of the building.
• Ease of installation. It is important to remember that you have personal protective equipment, such as gloves, a mask, and special closed clothing.
• Durability. Many of the qualities listed above directly or indirectly affect the service life of the material. Mineral wool can perform its functions for many years.

Installation of insulation

Securing the material under the siding can be done in two ways:

• on wooden sheathing;
• on a metal sheathing.

The first option involves making a frame from wooden blocks and is used more often for house construction made of wood. For the second, a metal profile is used; it is suitable for cladding the outer surface of a brick building.

Installation of insulation on a wooden frame

Installation diagram of insulation on a wooden frame under siding

The work order is as follows:

• removal of protruding elements that may interfere with work (gutters, shutters, etc.);
• eliminating damage to the surface of wall structures using tow;
• installation of horizontal and vertical frame elements (the racks are leveled);
• laying the heat insulator slabs so that no gaps form (it is better to initially select the pitch of the sheathing so that the clear distance between the posts is 2-3 cm less than the width of the heat insulator);
• filling cracks with pieces of material;
• installation of a waterproofing layer, for which it is best to use a moisture-proof vapor diffusion membrane (fastening to the frame is done with a stapler, the joints of the material are overlapped, the joints and staples are taped with adhesive tape);
• install the sheathing for finishing, leveling it;
• secure the siding.

Installation on a metal frame

Installation diagram of insulation on a metal frame under siding

The work order is as follows:

• wall surface preparation: cleaning, priming, plastering;
• fastening hangers under galvanized frame elements;
• installation of thermal insulation using glue and dowels;
• fixing the sheathing to the sheathing on hangers;
• siding installation.

Many owners of wooden houses consider it necessary to insulate the walls immediately after construction. However, I would like to note that quite often a mistake is made - it is not always worthwhile to cover new houses made of solid wood with insulation material, since wood itself has low thermal conductivity, and, in addition, it can create a favorable microclimate inside the rooms .

It is advisable to insulate a wooden house from the outside with mineral wool under siding if the building has already stood for many years, and after going through numerous cycles of temperature changes, the wood has lost its original qualities. This is due to the fact that numerous deep cracks appear on the logs or beams from which the house is built, under the influence of atmospheric influences.

Insulation of a wooden house from the outside with mineral wool under siding

Insulation measures are also used if the wall thickness is small and the house is located in a region with cold winters. Thermal insulation helps create a lower total thermal conductivity of enclosing structures and significantly reduce fuel costs.

To insulate the outside of a wooden house, mineral wool is increasingly being chosen, and for decorative exterior finishing - vinyl siding, which is affordable and has a fairly long service life. In addition, the finishing material is easy to install, and if one of the panels is damaged, it can be easily replaced with a new one.

So that after insulating the wooden walls in the house, the optimal microclimate, and the structure itself was not damaged, you need to know the specifics of the thermal insulation process, as well as the operation of the house.

You need to know the answer to this question in order to take insulation measures more seriously and, without hoping for various tips, and by reasoning logically, make the right decisions.

Consequences of wood fungus damage

Everyone knows that wood not treated with special compounds, being constantly in a damp state, is affected by microflora (flexible, mold), rotting processes begin in it, and the material loses its strength. After a couple of years, the log in which mold has settled completely loses its thermal insulation qualities, and then completely turns into dust. Therefore, when insulating wooden walls, it is very important to choose the right materials and install them in such a way as to protect the structure from waterlogging.

The humidity of the logs before installing them in the log house should be 23 ÷ 35%. After standing for about a year under normal conditions, the walls dry out and the moisture content in the wood drops to 10 ÷ 18%, depending on the season of measurement. It should be noted that if the tree remains in a damp state for a long time, the level of which will be 20 ÷ 22%, then the formation of fungus in its structure is inevitable. In addition, such an environment is favorable for the appearance of wood-boring beetles.

There is no need to think that wood begins to become damp only because of increased air humidity, rain, snow or fog. Actually in winter period, when the temperatures outside and inside the house differ, and the humidity in the room is many times higher than outside, the wood absorbs it into its structure. Absorbing moisture from the inside, the tree, passing through the joints between the logs and micropores, releases it outside. The lower the temperature outside and the higher the temperature in the house, the more moisture the wood passes through its structure. This process is said to mean that the material “breathes.”

Under no circumstances should such a natural balance be disturbed. It is unacceptable to carry out insulation in such a way that water vapor is blocked from escaping from the wood into the atmosphere. In addition, insulation also plays a role in shifting the “dew point” - it will be moved outside the wooden wall and will fall on the thickness of the thermal insulation material. This will also significantly reduce the likelihood of wooden walls becoming waterlogged.

Materials for insulating wooden walls

So, in order not to disturb the normal temperature balance and prevent moisture from stagnating inside the logs, it is very important to follow the correct insulation technology and select suitable materials.

The most important condition is a vapor-permeable membrane

The most important element of the insulation system of a wooden house is a windproof diffuse membrane.

In order not to disturb the natural balance of humidity during insulation, it is necessary to create normal conditions for the operation of the building, avoiding obstacles to the escape of water vapor to the outside.

Many builders, doing work “not for themselves,” do not really think about the durability of the insulated house, and cover the wooden wall with a vapor barrier film, which is absolutely unacceptable. Experts who study the construction physics of wooden housing construction and building materials advise completely abandoning vapor barrier material when insulating wooden buildings in which you plan to live. all year round. Instead, a windproof diffuse membrane should be used, which is fixed to the outside of the insulation. This coating is hydrophobic - water that gets on it simply rolls off, but is never absorbed into the fibers. That is, even if water seeps under the siding layer, it will not be able to get into the mineral wool layer, and even more so into the wooden walls.

External structure of the diffuse membrane

At the same time, the unique structure of such a membrane does not at all prevent the free escape of water vapor outside, from the walls and insulation layer into the atmosphere. Thus, the walls of the house continue to “breathe”, spontaneously leveling the moisture balance.

The insulation itself needs wind protection - and this membrane fully copes with this task, preventing the material fibers from weathering and cold air flows from penetrating into its thickness.

Schematically - the structure of an insulating “pie” on a wooden wall

The ventilation gap left between the windproof, vapor-permeable film and the finishing material will allow air to circulate freely, which will constantly dry the condensate drops that appear on the surface of the membrane.

The optimal insulation is mineral wool

When externally insulating wooden houses, synthetic thermal insulation materials - polystyrene foam, polyethylene foam, etc. - are completely excluded. It is also necessary to immediately get away from any foil-coated materials. All of the listed insulation materials have vapor barrier properties, which, as already mentioned, is completely unacceptable.

You should not choose artificial sprayed materials, such as polyurethane foam, for insulating a wooden house, since it also completely seals the surface and does not allow the wood to “breathe.” Such insulation will lead to rot and mold inside the house, which is very dangerous not only for the entire structure, but also for the health of the residents.

The most acceptable option for such work is mineral wool, but not just any one. It can be made from different materials: blast furnace slag (slag wool), molten glass waste and sand (glass wool), and from volcanic gabbro-basalt rocks (stone or basalt wool).

To insulate a wooden house with the most suitable option is stone wool, which has low hygroscopicity, excellent thermal insulation qualities, suitable density and sufficiently high compressive strength.

Basalt mineral wool blocks

Main technical and operational characteristics of this material:

• Thermal conductivity coefficient – ​​from 0.032 to 0.048 W/m×°K.
• Moisture absorption - no more than 2% of the volume (for some species - significantly less)
• The density of basalt mats can vary from 30 to 400 kg/m³, as semi-rigid and rigid slabs, as well as mineral felt mats, are produced.
• The compressive strength ranges from 5 to 80 kPa, depending on the type of material and its density.
• Basalt insulation is a breathable material, and this is one of the main conditions for insulating wooden structures.
• The most important quality, especially for use in wooden construction, is the non-flammability of the material.

For external insulation of a house, it is recommended to choose semi-rigid heat insulation mats, the density of which varies from 80 to 150 kg/m³. They are usually sized 600×1200 or 500×1000 mm and are available in a certain range of thicknesses. Rolled material is easier to install, but its density and strength are lower; it can sag over time, even if it is properly secured to the wall.

For thermal insulation of external work on the walls of a wooden house, you can also use glass wool, but the efficiency and durability of such insulation will be significantly lower.

But slag wool should be immediately, categorically excluded. Don’t be fooled by its low price - this one has a higher thermal conductivity coefficient and absorbs moisture well. Increased moisture absorption during operation leads to an increase in thermal conductivity, that is, the material sharply loses its thermal insulation qualities. Besides, increased acidity slag wool is absolutely not beneficial for natural wood.

Experts recommend using environmentally friendly hemp or linen mats for internal and external insulation, which have low thermal conductivity, good vapor permeability and sufficiently high resistance to moisture. But the biggest disadvantage of these materials is their high cost.

Required thickness of insulation for a wooden house

The thickness of the insulation is selected depending on the thickness of the walls and the average winter temperatures of the region where the house is built. Most often, the heat insulator is mounted in two layers, the first of which is 100 and the second is 50 mm. If necessary, the thickness can be increased, but for this you will have to secure another row of sheathing.

However, it would be a good idea to accurately calculate the thickness of the insulating layer - in order to prevent low efficiency insulation or, conversely, not to spend extra money on excessive thermal insulation that is unnecessary in specific conditions. Performing the calculation is not that difficult.

The principle boils down to the fact that the total thermal resistance of a multilayer wall structure should not be lower than the indicator R(m²×°C/W), calculated by experts for this region.

To simplify perception, the values ​​of this indicator are indicated on the proposed map of Russia. You should select the upper value for walls (indicated by purple numbers).

Diagram map with the values ​​of the required heat transfer resistance

Since the wall structure is multilayer, its total thermal resistance will be equal to the sum of the resistance of each layer, which affects the insulating qualities of the house.

R = R+ R+ R …

Well, the thermal resistance of each layer is expressed by the formula:

Rn = Hn / λn

Hn- layer thickness.

λn- coefficient of thermal conductivity of the material.

When insulating wooden building such layers can be:

Which layers affect the thermal insulation qualities of a wall?

1 – the wooden frame itself. Please note that the thickness of a log house made of round timber is assumed to be slightly smaller than when using timber rectangular section. This should be taken into account when taking measurements.

2 – interior decoration, if it exists, of course. In wooden houses, the walls can remain unfinished inside, covered with natural lining, MDF lining, plywood, OSB, sometimes they use plasterboard for painting and wallpapering.

3 - The layer of external insulation is the value that needs to be found.

There may be more complex “pies”, and each layer has its own calculation. But usually they try not to “spoil” natural wooden walls from the inside with synthetic materials in order to preserve the natural advantages of wood.

The diagram also shows:

4 - vapor-permeable hydrophobic windproof membrane.

5 – frame details (sheathing).

6 – siding. The siding cladding is separated from the insulation by a ventilated air gap (7). Thus, no matter what material the panels are made of, they do not participate in the overall thermal insulation of the wall and are not taken into account.

Thus, in order to calculate the required insulation layer, you need to know the thickness of each layer and its thermal conductivity coefficient.

As a result, the calculation formula will look like this:

Well = (R– H1/ λ1 – H2/ λ2 – H3/ λ3…) × λу

The value of thermal conductivity coefficients of materials is easy to find in reference books, and this parameter for the selected type of mineral wool ( λу) must be indicated on the packaging or in the accompanying documentation.

For ease of calculation, we recommend using the built-in calculator, specially programmed for natural wooden walls. It provides the opportunity to specify, in addition to the wall itself, two more layers of finishing made from natural materials.

Insulation thickness calculator

The obtained value should be “reduced” to the existing thicknesses of the selected insulation boards (mats). Naturally, in this case the calculated thickness will be considered minimal.

Frame details

To install the frame, you will need timber or galvanized metal profiles. It should be noted that the metal elements of the sheathing freeze well, and when temperatures change, condensation forms on them, which will not benefit wooden walls and insulation. Besides, metal profiles, made of thin metal, have lower rigidity than timber.

The section of timber for frame sheathing is sometimes selected according to the thickness of the insulation mats (slabs). Although this is not a dogma, since you can position the guides at the desired distance from the wall using wooden posts - this way, much less material is consumed.

It is also necessary to take into account the distance for the ventilation gap, which is usually 40 ÷ 50 mm. Therefore, to install the counter-lattice, which is placed between the windproof film and the finishing material, it is necessary to prepare a beam with a cross-section of 40 × 50 or 50 × 50 mm.

You may need special metal holders on which the sheathing will be attached and the insulation will also be fixed. Usually, direct hangers are used for this - the same as for working with drywall.

Preparatory work

A very important event is preparatory work, since not only the duration of operation of the insulation, but also its quality will depend on them.

The preparatory work includes several simple activities, but they should be carried out with special care:

• Inspection of wall surfaces and determination of the scope of work.
• Detected cracks and gaps must be thoroughly cleaned of dust and dirt.
• After this, it is recommended to prime them antiseptics intended for wood processing. The primer should be completely absorbed and dry well.
• Next, cracks and cracks need to be sealed, as they make it easier for cold air to penetrate into the house - creating cold bridges.

Sealing cracks with a special sealant

• After the sealing material in the gaps has hardened, it is recommended to cover the entire surface of the walls with an antiseptic composition, which will protect the wood from fungus and insect nests.

A few words about materials for sealing cracks in logs or beams and gaps between crowns. The most in a simple way To get rid of these defects is to fill them with latex-based sealant, which is intended for external woodwork.

Such materials are designed to maintain a balance of temperature and humidity inside residential premises, as they well restrain wind flows and prevent drafts from penetrating through the wall.

The sealant has good adhesion and fits perfectly onto the primed surface. It is elastic and has the ability to repeatedly stretch and deform when the size of the gap changes, for example, when walls shrink or wood dries out. The material is resistant to temperature changes and high humidity, so it will protect the wooden wall for a long time.

If the crack is too large, the sealant is combined with an acrylic strand, which is tucked into the gap and covered with sealant on top.

In addition, to seal cracks, tow, moss, felt or other natural materials, which are usually used for interventional insulation.

Types of interventional insulation

The comfort of living in a wooden house directly depends on the choice of this material. How to choose the right one interventional insulation– in a separate publication on our portal.

Frame installation

As mentioned above, the sheathing frame can be mounted from wooden beam or metal profile. The technology is somewhat different, so it's worth considering both options.

Wooden frame

After preparing the wooden wall, the next step is to install the frame. It can be fixed in different ways - depending on the thickness of the insulation and the number of its layers.

Wooden frame on the walls of a log house

• Before attaching the timber to the wall, it must be treated with antiseptic solutions and dried well.
• While the timber is drying, you need to make markings on the wall surface and determine the locations of fastenings, guides or racks.
• The sheathing elements are installed with a pitch equal to the width of the insulating mats, minus 50 mm - this is necessary so that the mineral wool slabs are installed opposite the timber and fill all the space between them.
• Before fastening, the bars are leveled, since they will not only hold the insulation, but also level the wall. If leveling is necessary, wooden shims are installed under the sheathing bars.
• The sheathing is secured to the wall with long screws or nails. Large cross-section timber can additionally be secured with stainless steel corners.
• If the siding will be mounted horizontally (this is most often the case), then the sheathing guides are fixed vertically.

The diagram shows several options for installing wooden sheathing - both for single-layer insulation and for several layers.

Several options for wooden frame and insulation placement

• It is mandatory to install guides in all corners of the building, around door and window openings. Usually, control cords are pulled along the walls, top and bottom, according to the set marks, since all elements of the sheathing must be placed strictly in one plane.

Metal carcass

A frame made of galvanized metal profiles is more durable, but the material has high thermal conductivity, so it freezes easily. However, if the insulation is placed in the grooves of the sheathing elements, then it will also be insulated.

Frame made of metal profiles on timber walls

Work on the installation of metal frame elements occurs in the following order:

• Vertical lines are marked on the wall, which will correspond to the placement of the sheathing guides.
• Next, along vertical lines, in increments of 250 ÷ 350 mm, metal holders (straight hangers) are fixed into which the profiles will be installed and fixed. These elements allow you to set the frame vertically and level at the required distance from the wall. The convenience of these auxiliary parts is that they have numerous holes through which the profiles can be secured with self-tapping screws at the required level.

Diagram of direct suspension device

By the way, such metal holders can also be used to secure a wooden frame.

In the central part of the hangers there are holes for fixing them on the wall. After they are fixed, their side parts are bent, and a metal profile will be installed between them.

Direct hangers ensure installation of the frame at the required distance from the wall

• For structural rigidity to vertical elements the frame is fixed horizontally. To do this, pieces of metal profiles of the required size are cut along the folds, their side parts are bent at right angles. The middle wide part is fixed on the front shelf of the installed sheathing guides, and the bent ones on their side shelves.
• Solid rigid profile frames are installed around window and door openings, not forgetting to place them in a common plane with the main sheathing.

Having finished installing the frame, you can proceed to installing the insulation.

Laying insulation in a frame structure

• Insulation mats begin to be laid between the guides from the bottom of the wall. To create a stable, flat surface, before installing the first row of insulation, a horizontal solid beam is fixed in the lower part of the frame in the same plane as the entire sheathing, or separate sections that are fixed between the vertical elements.
• Insulation mats are installed close to the wall, without leaving gaps. If you plan to use two layers of mineral wool of different thicknesses, then lay the thicker one first, and then the thinner one.

• Sometimes they resort to constructing two rows of the frame, so first the insulation is installed in the first sheathing, for example, fixed horizontally. Vertical bars of the second row of sheathing are nailed on top of it, and another layer of insulation is laid between them.

Laying insulation along windows

• To lay the material around the windows, strips of the required width are cut from the mats. They need to be measured very carefully, since there should be no gaps left between the sheathing and the insulation. In addition, the material must not be allowed to bend outward - it must be pressed as tightly as possible to the wall surface.
• Laying mineral wool in a metal frame occurs in the same way as in a wooden one, if it is fixed directly to the wall and not removed from it using hanging posts.
• In this case, the metal profiles are fixed sideways, and the insulation is inserted into their groove. This creates an almost continuous insulated surface.

Laying insulation in a metal frame in two layers

• If a gap forms between the wall and the sheathing, it is first filled with insulation. Moreover, if necessary, the mats are cut so that they can fit tightly together, forming a continuous basalt sheet along the wall. The next layer of heat insulation is already installed between the metal profiles.

Wind protection

• After all the insulating layers have been laid, the remaining gaps (if any) between the blocks have been caulked, and the entire surface of the wall must be covered with a windproof membrane. The individual sheets of which are glued together with special tape or combined on the sheathing elements. In any case, the canvases are overlapped by 100 ÷ 150 mm.

Expansion dowel “mushroom”

• After this, the entire structure is stitched with plastic fasteners with wide “fungi” caps.
• For them, through holes are drilled in the insulating “pie” and the wall. A dowel “fungus” is inserted into the hole all the way and secured with a wedging plastic rod. The “fungi” should press the insulation tightly against the wall, holding it in the desired position.
• Next, counter-lattice bars are nailed or screwed on top of the beams or frame profiles directly on top of the windproof membrane, which will help create a ventilation gap.

The insulation is covered with a membrane. Counter-lattice bars have been installed. Everything is ready for siding installation

Installation of siding on an insulated surface

If you thoroughly understand the siding installation technology, it will turn out to be quite simple, and even a novice builder can cope with such a task:

	If the building has a protruding part of the base, then installation can begin by installing the drip sill.
	If flashing is not provided, then the first step in installing the siding is to secure the starting profile along the pre-applied horizontal markings along the lower border of the siding cladding. IN different sets this finishing material starting strips can have different configurations and appearance. Pay attention to the indicated gaps when installing the profile. The starting profile of the upper part has a locking connection that will snap into place with the panel located above.
	When fastening any siding elements, the screws are not screwed in completely. There should be a 1mm gap between the head and the vinyl parts. Self-tapping screws are screwed into the center of the mounting slot-shaped holes located on the mounting strips.
	Next, a corner profile is mounted, which should be located with a technological gap of 6 mm from the ends of the starting strip. When fastening parts, you need to ensure that the profiles are fixed strictly vertically and horizontally, so these parameters must be constantly monitored at the building level. When installing vertical profiles, the upper self-tapping screw must be positioned so that the part “hangs” on it. The remaining screws are general rule: Approximately in the center of the mounting slot.
	So, if necessary, corner profiles are spliced.
	Finish strips are installed around the window frames. Then, near-window profiles-platbands are inserted into them and secured to the sheathing, into which the end sides of the siding panels will be hidden.
	The same elements are fixed in doorways. At the corners, the profiles are carefully cut at an angle of 45 degrees so that when they are joined, they form a right angle. The diagram clearly shows how to provide for water drainage from the upper casing profile.
	The next stage is the installation of H-profiles, which are used to join the ends of the siding panels.
	Since the siding panels have a certain length, which is often not enough to cover the length of the wall, they are connected to each other in an H-profile. This vertical boundary must be drawn in advance when marking.
	This element is fixed vertically to the sheathing beam. It, like all other elements, is not screwed tightly to the sheathing, but must move freely on the screws.
	Next, comes the installation of the first siding panel, securing it to the lock of the initial strip. The ends of the panel are inserted into the grooves of the corner profile and H-profile (or door or window trim profile). Be sure to ensure that the locking part is completely latched.
	The rules for fastening panels with self-tapping screws do not change - in each vertical guide of the sheathing in the center of the slot-shaped hole, leaving a gap. Usually the self-tapping screw is tightened to the end, and then unscrewed 1 turn.
	It should be noted that connecting or increasing the length of the panels can be done without using an H-profile by installing them with an overlap of 25-30 mm. To do this, it is necessary to trim the locks and fastening frames of the panels. How to do this correctly is clearly shown in the diagram.
	Installation continues in the same order from bottom to top. Each subsequent panel is engaged by the locking part with the underlying one. The horizontalness of the siding panels is checked regularly, at least on every third row.
	To complete the wall cladding, you need to carefully install the top panel. Almost always it has to be adjusted in width. It must dock with the upper finishing strip, which is pre-attached along the upper border of the cladding.
	This figure clearly shows how such a connection should be made.
	To do this, measure and cut it from a solid panel top part With mounting plate to the measured width. The bottom side with the lock located on it will be used for installation.
	There was no locking part left on the resulting narrow panel. To eliminate this drawback, using a special punch (punch), hooks are made onto which the panel will snap and bent to the front side. The hooks should be located at a distance of 150 ÷ ​​200 mm from one another.
	After this, the narrow cut panel first engages with the lock of the lower panel, and then the hooks made are snapped under the upper strip of the finishing profile in an upward direction.
	During the installation of panels, when cladding near window or door openings, it is necessary to calculate and remove unnecessary parts of the plastic. To do this, first mark the window border on the panel (along the previously installed near-window or finishing profile, and then make a technological indent of 3 mm from it. Next, cut out the intended fragment and make hooks - just as shown above.
	A prepared and cut-to-size vinyl panel is mounted under the window trim located at the bottom of the opening, snapped onto the panel below and screwed onto self-tapping screws through the mounting holes on the sides of the window frame.
	In order to sheathe the pediment, J-profiles are installed in the direction of the slopes and along the bottom side of the triangle, into which the siding panels will be installed. You can also use profiles for internal corners. To correctly maintain the cutting angle of the panels, you can use a fairly simple diagram shown in the figure.
	This picture shows the only place where the screw can be screwed in from the outside. The remaining profiles are installed on hidden fastenings.
	On the outside of the roof overhang, the ends of the panels are covered with a wide J-profile inserted into a finishing strip fixed to the eaves. The internal corner profile between the pediment and the overhang can be replaced with two J-profiles.

A few important notes:

• To ensure that all cladding elements are fixed smoothly and without flaws, you must first carry out careful markings before installation.
• All cladding elements are fixed at a certain distance from each other. The size of the gaps is indicated in the drawings and diagrams, and generally it ranges from 3 to 6 mm. These gaps are necessary for the free expansion of the material during temperature changes, without general deformation of the entire wall cladding.
• All vinyl trim elements must be fastened loosely without prestressing the material.

And in conclusion, a video about the process of insulating walls for further cladding with siding:

Video: technology for insulating walls under siding

It happens that the walls of a wooden house do a poor job of one of their tasks of retaining heat.

The solution to this problem lies in insulating the walls.

The insulating layer will act as a barrier between the street and the interior of the house.

When the question arises about insulating the walls of a log house, it is necessary to decide on the choice of thermal insulation method, which can be carried out both outside and inside.

Facade insulation wooden house is used for:

• significant heating savings;
• improving the microclimate in the house;
• extending the service life of the log house;

When the question arises about insulating the walls of a log house, it is necessary to decide on the choice of thermal insulation method, which can be carried out both externally and internally.

Many home owners are inclined to the first option. This is obvious, because this method is much more effective.

Now let's look at the nuances of insulating a wooden house under siding and other facing materials.

Let's look at the differences between external and internal insulation using the example of their advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of insulating wooden walls outside :

• External walls are additionally protected from dampness and solar activity, which increases their service life;
• Removing the dew point outside without the possibility of condensation;
• Providing highly effective thermal insulation;
• Preservation of room volumes;
• Possibility of sealing external holes and cracks;

Flaws:

• Change appearance building facade;
• high cost of work;
• dependence of work on the season and weather conditions;

External insulation under siding

Advantages internal insulation :

• low cost;
• the possibility of leveling the walls;
• independence of work from the season and weather conditions;

Flaws:

• Shift of the dew point indoors and the likelihood of condensation and mold formation;
• Reducing the volume of the premises;
• Possible change in the interior for the worse;

Internal insulation

Types of external insulation:

• Strengthening heat insulators to the wall surface using adhesive solutions and finishing with plaster;
• Non-ventilated walls in three layers. The insulating material is fixed with mortar and a single-brick external wall is installed, maintaining an air gap;
• Ventilated facade. The walls are protected with waterproofing material, on top of which insulating material is mounted. Then a wind barrier is installed, and the frame is sheathed with clapboard or any other siding. This method allows installation even in winter due to the absence of the need to use adhesive solutions.

Main secret the right home lies in the structure of its walls. The so-called wall “pie” determines a healthy microclimate and longevity of the structure.

wall pie

The “pie” of the wall consists of the following elements:

• Exterior decoration protects all subsequent layers from aggressive external influences, moisture and temperature fluctuations. It can be made of various materials. Siding, facade plaster, decorative stones, facing bricks - the choice depends only on your imagination;
• Waterproofing membrane located under exterior trim or wall sheathing. It creates conditions for a favorable microclimate in the room and ensures the safety of wooden frame elements from moisture. Waterproofing releases water vapor out, but does not let moisture in;
• Insulation is one of the most important components. He fits between I-beams- into cells formed using horizontally located connecting links;
• Vapor barrier membrane prevents the penetration of vapors into the interior of the walls. Its installation is carried out on a wooden frame from the inside of the walls. Its installation is necessary in places where there is strong humidity (kitchen, bathroom, toilet). Wax paper often acts as a vapor barrier.
• Interior decoration- the closing layer of the “pie”. The inner surface of the wall, if desired, can be covered with plasterboard, clapboard, etc.

Choosing insulation for a wooden house

Thermal insulation of timber walls can be carried out using facing bricks, stones made of concrete or ceramics, small blocks. The only thing is that between the cladding and the surface of the wooden wall there must remain a designed air gap, which is provided in order to remove excess moisture from the tree.

The following can also be used as heat-insulating materials:

• Stone wool is a heat-insulating and sound-insulating material that made mainly from igneous rock melts. It is a type of mineral wool. Gabbro-basalt rock is the raw material for making material fibers;
• Expanded polystyrene is an inexpensive, hygienically and sanitarily safe, lightweight but tough material. Its insulating properties fully satisfy common requirements, but the possibility of cracks forming due to thermal expansion to which the walls are exposed does not allow us to call it the best solution for insulation;
• Ecowool is an absolutely natural, environmentally friendly, ideal soundproofing material., which consists of cellulose and antiseptics based on borax and boric acid. The material is moisture-resistant, hypoallergenic, and can be installed without creating seams or voids. Does not require the use of a vapor barrier layer when insulating timber walls;
• Basalt wool is characterized by excellent vapor permeability. Basalt is non-flammable material, which provides fire protection wooden log house. The material has good noise insulation characteristics;
• Foam glass is foamed glass made up of thousands of glass cells. The material is elastic, moisture-resistant, environmentally friendly, fireproof, very durable and can withstand any temperature fluctuations. It does not attract insects and prevents the formation of mold and mildew. Disadvantages include the lack of steam conductivity, high fragility and high cost of the material;
• In the case of wooden walls, mineral wool is ideal as a thermal insulator. It meets almost all the requirements for insulation, namely, it has a high thermal insulation coefficient, a minimum thermal conductivity coefficient and low hygroscopicity. She is not afraid of high temperatures, fungus, mold, insects and rodents. It perfectly copes with the removal of vapors to the outside, is non-toxic, non-flammable, breathable and, importantly, durable and can last from 30 to 60 years, based on the declared characteristics of the material.

The following materials are also suitable for insulation:

• Styrofoam;
• extruded polystyrene foam;
• penoplex;
• penofol;
• penoizol;
• polyurethane foam.

Types of insulation

The range of modern insulation materials is very rich and varied, so the issue of choosing a heat-insulating material according to the technical features of the room, the requirements and budget of the buyer will not be particularly difficult.

Preparatory work

NOTE!

First of all, the walls are treated with antiseptic preparations, which protect wood from fungus, rot, mold, woodworms, and fire-fighting substances that improve the protective characteristics of the building.

Before installation, carry out the following steps:

• Now comes the time to seal cracks and gaps. They are sealed with sealants or jute fibers;
• Next, proceed to the installation of the sheathing.. To do this, they are attached to the surface of the walls with self-tapping screws. bars measuring 50×50 mm or 50×100 mm- they are selected according to the number of layers of insulation.
• The lathing is installed in the form of horizontally and vertically located guides with a distance between them almost equal to the width of the insulation- less by one cm, in order to more tightly join the material.

Sealing cracks with tow

Sealing cracks with sealant

Insulating the walls of a wooden house from the outside with mineral wool

Insulating the outer walls of a wooden house with your own hands is not as complicated a process as it seems at first glance, and mineral wool is well suited for these purposes.

CAREFULLY!

Before installing the insulation on the sheathing, it is necessary to attach a vapor barrier membrane. It will allow indoor water vapor to pass outside, and will retain moisture flowing into the room from the outside, preventing it from being absorbed into the insulating layer and protecting its thermal insulation characteristics.

• Having secured the vapor barrier, begin to lay slabs of insulating material using a construction stapler. In addition, the space between the slats is fixed to the wall using umbrella dowels.
• A waterproofing membrane is installed on top of the laid insulation, which will not let moisture in from the outside, but will remove a small amount of condensation that has penetrated the insulating layer;
• Further, slats are being installed for facing materials, which perform not only the role of frame and decoration of the facade, but also form ventilation gaps necessary for ventilation of the thermal insulation layer;
• As cladding materials for wooden houses siding, lining, and blockhouse are often used.

Installation of sheathing on timber

Methods for insulating timber

Mineral wool insulation scheme

Installation of insulation from the outside using polystyrene foam as an example

Expanded polystyrene sheets begin to be fixed in the frame from bottom to top using glue specially designed for this purpose. If some sheets don't stay in place well, you can use foam wedges or regular nails to secure them.

Further, foam is covered with a diffusion membrane. It must be laid in horizontal strips from the bottom of the wall to the top, while the resulting polystyrene foam joints must be overlapped by 10 - 15 cm.

The membrane is fastened with a stapler, and the joints are taped with adhesive tape.

After attaching the membrane, the structure is covered. For these purposes, lining is used, thin layer plaster or siding.

NOTE!

Gaps should not be left between the sheets to avoid the formation of cold “bridges”.

Insulation with polystyrene foam

Laying foam

Vapor barrier

The vapor barrier serves to protect the insulation from steam penetration from the side of the wooden wall. It is necessary to install a vapor barrier membrane on the wall only if mineral heat-insulating materials are used and/or their external surfaces face the street.

The film is installed between the heat-insulating material and load-bearing walls Houses. The function of a vapor barrier is to protect the heat-insulating layer from getting wet.

It is necessary to accurately determine the mounting side of the film, since incorrect installation will lead to uncontrolled access of moisture in the future.

For example:

• The foam propylene membrane is attached with the rough side to the under-roof space. If the membrane is polyethylene, the question of which side to attach will not matter
• The two-layer membrane is laid with a smooth surface to the heat-insulating layer.
• One-sided laminated polypropylene film is also directed with the smooth side towards the insulating layer;
• The foil surface of the special film turns towards the heat-insulating layer;

Vapor barrier

Installation of vapor barrier:

• Turn the film to the appropriate side and carefully, avoiding damage, secure it to the sheathing;
• Carefully glue punctures, overlaps, possible gaps and cracks;
• Install the sheathing using beams with a cross section of 3x5 cm to ensure ventilation;
• Cover the structure with finishing materials;

Waterproofing

• Waterproofing protects the walls of the house from the destructive effects of moisture, mildew, and mold.
• She strengthens herself between thermal insulation material and siding.
• Installation of the waterproofing membrane is carried out by overlapping the fabric by 10-15 cm.
• The canvases are stapled to the surface of the sheathing, and the joints are sealed with special tapes.
• Ventilation gaps are formed using lathing with a 25×50 block;
• A protective metal mesh is installed below

Waterproofing membrane

In conclusion, it is worth saying that insulating the walls of a house made of timber can be done independently. All that is required is your patience and some expenses, which will more than pay off in the future.

Useful video

Insulation of a wooden house from the outside under siding in the video below:

By following simple but important rules for installing insulation outside under a ventilated facade, you can make your home as comfortable as possible without any extra effort.

We insulate only from the outside

Wherein:

• the internal area of ​​the premises remains unchanged;
• the cost of heating the house will decrease: the wall material will act as a heat accumulator, which means that in winter there will be less cost for heating, and in summer - for air conditioning;
• the rooms will become quiet: the noise of car alarms and passing traffic, neighbors with karaoke and lawn mowers - all these sounds will remain outside, because fiber insulation is good sound insulation;
• the windows will stop “crying”, and the rooms will become easy to breathe, as excess moisture will escape through the walls.
• the durability of the timber structure will increase: load-bearing structures are not destroyed by moisture, fungus, low temperatures and sun rays;
• If desired, you can easily change the appearance of the facade by replacing the exterior finishing material.

True, to carry out such work it will be necessary to install scaffolding around the log house. But this is perhaps the biggest drawback of this method of insulation.

Choosing the right material

To insulate a wooden house from the outside, you can use either polystyrene foam, mineral wool, or ecowool. Which material is right for you?

The first rule of builders: “In a wooden house, the vapor permeability of the walls should increase from the inside out. Otherwise they will rot."

So expanded polystyrene - energy efficient, but not breathable - disappears in the semi-finals.

It is better to use mineral wool. It can be either glass wool or basalt wool. However, not every one is suitable: roll material You cannot insulate a façade made of timber. Only slabs and mats with a density of 80 to 150 kg/m³. This can be glass wool brands Knauf Teplo Cottage plus TS 037 Aquastatik, Ursa P-30 facade or basalt wool ROCKWOOL Venti BATTS, ISOROC ISOVENT, TECHNOVENT Standard, etc.
The standard size of slabs is 500x1000 mm and 600x1200 mm with a thickness of 50 and 100 mm. This is very convenient for DIY installation. But in most regions of our country, only an additional 100 mm of thermal insulation of timber with mineral wool allows for comfortable insulation.

As for ecowool, it is a loose, bulk material made from cellulose. It is applied to facades only using the wet-glue method: then it does not sag over time. However, this requires special equipment and, what is important, very high-quality waterproofing of the log house.

Comparative characteristics of insulation materials

Characteristics	Basalt wool	Glass wool	Ecowool
Thermal conductivity	0.032 to 0.048 W/m*K	0.030-0.052 W/m*K	0.032-0.041 W/m*K
Vapor permeability	about 0.3 mg/m∙h∙Pa.	0–0.6 mg/mh*Pa	0.3 mg/(m*h*Pa)
Fire hazard	Non-flammable (class G1)		Moderately fire hazardous (class G2)
Sound absorption	High
Environmental friendliness	The binder - phenol-formaldehyde resins - is hazardous to health. There is a line of basalt slabs with a safe acrylic binder	Possible allergen	Safely
Easy to install	Plates are dense and brittle	Easy to shape	To apply it to the facade, you need to call a team
High temperature resistance	Up to 1000°C	Up to 450°C	Up to 232°C
Hygroscopicity	< 1%	0,2-2%	14%
Life time	15-20 years (up to 40 in ideal conditions)	4-6 years (settles over time)	10-15 years

All these insulation materials allow the facade to be thermally insulated using a dry method. It is not advisable to cover the outside walls of a wooden house with plaster: the coating will constantly crack, and living in constant repairs will be a below-average pleasure. This technology is more justified for stone buildings.

Correct installation - up to 100% savings

If you strictly follow the rules for installing such a facade, it will delight you for many years. But you shouldn’t try to buy “cheaper” materials. By saving pennies, you will lose much more. It’s better to save on workers and do everything yourself.

The technology is generally simple and, with minimal experience in construction work and the simplest tools - a construction stapler, a screwdriver, a level, a hammer - you can count on high-quality installation facade.

Before you start insulating the timber, you need to make sure that the structures of the wooden structure are strong enough, have not rotted or are affected by woodworms.

A newly erected timber or log house it cannot be insulated or covered. We'll have to wait a year. During this time, the settlement of a wooden house made of timber with a cross-section of 150x150 mm and a height of 18 links can be 10-12 cm.

Warmth in the wrapper

The thermal conductivity of wet insulation increases several times. Therefore one of the most important rules installation of a ventilated facade on the house - high-quality vapor barrier. Including from the side of the wooden structure. Why?

Let's consider the physics of the process. In winter, the air in hot rooms contains large amounts of water vapor. It moves to the cold side of the structure. Simply put, if there is a cold surface ( outer wall log house), then warm air, in contact with it, inevitably turns into condensate.

To protect the insulation, the outside walls are covered with membrane-type vapor barrier films. The panels are joined with an overlap of 10-15 cm, secured with a stapler. The joints are taped with butyl tape.
Please note that one side of the vapor barrier is smooth, and the other is fleecy. When installing it yourself, you can place it correctly - with the fleecy side facing the wall.

The lathing is made from antiseptic-treated timber or galvanized profile. Lumber is selected with the same cross-section as the dimensions of the insulation board. For example, if the thickness of the slab is 100 mm, the sheathing is made of 50x100 mm bars. They are attached to the wall with an edge, vertically, using self-tapping screws of the appropriate size, then a counter rail is nailed to create a ventilation gap. To fix the galvanized profile you will need metal hangers.

Advice! When insulating buildings with your own hands, the distance between the guides is made smaller than the width of the thermal insulation slabs. How much? Depends on what kind of mineral wool - glass or stone - you use. If the edges of the slabs are elastic, like basalt wool, then by 2 cm, soft, like glass wool, by 5 cm. This technique will speed up the installation process and minimize the amount of waste.

Having installed the two outer beams, stretching the cord along them, all the rest are leveled. Using a level, check for significant irregularities on the walls of the log house. You level them with your own hands using plywood pads. The sheathing is also installed in the corners of the house, along door and window openings.

Safety precautions

Even if you are not allergic, when working with mineral wool, be sure to protect your nose and mouth with a respirator, and your eyes with safety glasses. You will also need thick clothing with long sleeves and pants below the ankle and gloves. Otherwise, the smallest particles of mineral wool that get on the skin will cause irritation.

We put a barrier to the cold

Hired workers often insulate the facade from the outside with mineral wool, installing 100 mm thick insulation boards in one layer. However, cold air will still penetrate into the cracks between the mineral wool. It is more reliable to fasten 50 mm slabs in two layers, with a slight offset. If there are gaps and gaps left somewhere, they can be insulated with pieces of the same material. It is best to insulate the top layer with mineral wool of higher density.

The next stage is waterproofing the facade. For this purpose, a perforated diffusion membrane is used. It is mounted outside, between the mineral wool and the cladding, with the rough side facing the insulation. This technique will ensure the movement of water only from the inside to the outside. This means that your homemade insulation will be reliably protected from dampness.

What to attach the cladding to?

The main highlight of the ventilated facade is the presence of a gap between the mineral wool and the facing material. And the constant movement of air quickly dries the water droplets.
For this purpose, slats 50 mm thick are mounted on the frame on top of the waterproofing. It will be attached to them exterior decoration- siding or facade panels, block house or wooden lining, etc. They are laid from bottom to top. If used wood cladding, locking connections oriented up with the spike and down with the lock. Then water will not get into the joints of the boards.

HELPFUL ADVICE: When finishing with panels, start work with large areas. The remaining trimmings - pieces of panels - can be used at corners and when finishing structural protrusions of a wooden structure.

Air vents must be left at the bottom and top. But from the outside they are covered with shallow metal mesh- from rodents.
And lastly: insulation will increase the thickness of timber walls by almost 20 cm. Do not leave the insulation open either from below or in the areas of window and door openings. Install sufficiently wide slopes, window sills and ebbs.

In harsh winters and severe frosts a wooden house needs insulation - without it it is difficult to create comfortable conditions inside during the cold season. Thermal insulation will also reduce heating costs. This article will tell you how to properly insulate a wooden house with mineral wool under siding.

Why has mineral wool become such a popular insulation material for private construction? The answer to this question is simple - due to the totality of its advantages, this material is superior to other insulation materials in certain characteristics.

1. Mineral wool does not burn. It can only melt, and only with very high temperatures. Therefore, this insulation is better suited for buildings made of wooden beams or logs than combustible foam.
2. Mineral wool is easy to handle - it does not require the use of special equipment, like ecowool. The installation process is simple - take it out of the package, cut it (if necessary), lay it, and secure it with dowels or glue.
3. Mineral wool does not shrink over time and is not attractive to rodents, insects, fungus and mold. In addition, it is able to retain its properties for several decades.
4. And like anyone good insulation, mineral wool has extremely low thermal conductivity values ​​- 0.03-0.047 W/(m*K) depending on the type of material and the outside temperature.

Selection of mineral wool

When you go to a hardware store, you will see many types of mineral wool with different characteristics. The question arises: what characteristics should a material have that is suitable for insulating a house from the outside?

1. Type – stone or basalt wool. Slag wool or glass wool is not the best choice for the walls of a residential building. The reasons are high alkalinity and the content of substances that are harmful to humans (especially slag wool).
2. Density – from 80 kg/m3 and more. This is due to the fact that the laid material experiences heavy loads. And so that under their influence the insulation does not wrinkle, does not lose its shape and thermal insulation qualities, it must be dense enough.
3. Dimensions - most mineral wool for external wall insulation is sold in the form of slabs with a length and width of 1200 by 600 millimeters. The thickness varies and can range from 50 to 150 millimeters.
4. Since insulation is carried out from the outside, the mineral wool must be hydrophobic. By absorbing water, this insulation loses its thermal insulation properties by 50-70%. It is worth considering that high humidity outside and its sudden changes are not at all uncommon. Therefore, the ability not to absorb moisture and condensation is very important for mineral wool. However, this is not enough, therefore, when insulating the walls of a wooden house, take care of high-quality hydro- and vapor barrier.

Separately, it is worth discussing the issue of the thickness of the thermal insulation layer. Wood itself has some insulation qualities, and therefore does not require such a large layer of mineral wool as for construction made of concrete or sand-lime brick. For example, in mid-latitude conditions, for a wooden house with a wall thickness of 15 centimeters, a layer of insulation of 10 centimeters would be optimal. If the walls are even thicker, 20 centimeters, then the required layer of mineral wool will be half as much.

Of course, if you live in a region with sharply continental climate and severe frosts, then the thickness of the wall insulation should be higher. And if sheets of mineral wool 50 or 100 millimeters thick are not enough for thermal insulation, they need to be laid in two layers.

The table below shows materials that meet the requirements and are suitable for wall insulation.

Name	Length and width, mm	Thickness, mm	Density, kg/m3	Thermal conductivity, W/m*K	Price per 1 m3, rub.
	1200 by 600	100	80	0,035	3052
	1200 by 600		72-88	0,036	3100
	1200 by 600	100	120	0,04	3450
	1200 by 600	100	100	0,037	6700

Prices for mineral wool

Tools and materials

Below is a list of everything that is needed to insulate a wooden house with mineral wool for siding.

1. Mineral wool - obviously, without it there can be no talk of any insulation. Before you go to the hardware store, take measurements of the areas of all the walls of the house and subtract the area of ​​all windows and doors from the resulting figure. By dividing the result by the area of ​​one sheet (for a sheet of 1200 by 600 mm this is 0.72 m2) of mineral wool, you will find out how many you need to buy. If you plan to insulate in two layers, multiply the resulting number by two.
2. The material for the frame can be either a wooden beam with a section of 50 by 50 mm, or a steel profile with similar properties. You may also need U-shaped metal hangers. What they are needed for and how they are used will be discussed below.

   

   

3. Antiseptic impregnation. When dealing with wood, you should always protect it from the effects of fungus, mold and insects.

   

4. Vapor barrier membrane - used to prevent the insulation from absorbing condensation that forms on the walls of the house. In addition, such films are used as wind protection. Membranes are interesting because, while protecting mineral wool from moisture and wind, they nevertheless allow it to “breathe”.

   

5. Acrylic adhesive tape, designed for connecting sheets of vapor barrier film. Construction staples are needed to attach the vapor barrier to the wall.
6. Facade dowels with umbrellas, also known as disc dowels, are fasteners for mineral wool.

   

7. Galvanized nails - for attaching the sheathing to the wall and connecting its elements to each other. If the frame is made of steel profile- Nails are replaced with self-tapping screws, and the hammer is replaced with a screwdriver.
8. Tape measure, pencil and level - for measuring distances and monitoring the quality of work.
9. A hammer drill and a construction stapler are used for installing thermal insulation and sheathing.
10. Hacksaw or electric jigsaw– for working with wooden beams.

There are two ways to insulate a residential building using mineral wool - frame and frameless. Both methods are discussed below.

Prices for popular hammer drill models

Hammers

Frame insulation of a house with siding finishing

In the first method of installing thermal insulation, a frame made of wooden beams or a steel profile is first mounted on the wall, then insulation is laid between its elements. The process is completed with the installation of external sheathing and finishing with siding. Now let's look at the method in more detail.

First stage– surface preparation. Cracks and gaps in wooden walls are sealed and insulated, the walls themselves are cleaned of dust, debris and remnants of old finishing, if any. Protruding elements are also dismantled: pipes, shutters, window sills, and so on.

Second phase. The walls are treated with antiseptics, protecting them from rot and fungus.

Third stage. Using construction staples, a vapor barrier film is attached to the walls. The membrane sheets are overlapped by 10-15 centimeters and the seams are carefully taped with acrylic tape.

Fourth stage– installation of the frame. The timber (pre-treated with an antiseptic) or profile is installed vertically, with an interval (distance between elements) along the width of the mineral wool slab. The beam is attached to the wall with nails, and the profile with self-tapping screws.

Fifth stage. Thermal insulation sheets are placed in the space between the frame elements. The insulation is fastened to the wall using 4-6 disc-shaped dowels. If cracks or gaps remain, they should be sealed with pieces of mineral wool.

Sixth stage. Lay on top of the frame and insulation vapor barrier film. As before, the joints are overlapped and taped.

Seventh stage. A new layer of sheathing is attached to the frame, which will be used to create a ventilated facade and as a frame for siding. In this case, it is permissible to use small-section timber.

Important! If two layers of insulation are planned, then the second frame is mounted perpendicular to the first and relative to the siding. For example, if the walls are finished with siding horizontally, then the beams of the first frame should be laid in the same way. And the bars of the second layer of insulation should be located perpendicular to them, that is, vertically.

Prices for thermal insulation materials

Thermal insulation materials

Video - Insulation of external walls with siding

Frameless insulation with mineral wool under siding

Unlike the method described above, this method does not involve the installation of a frame for thermal insulation, and mineral wool covers almost the entire surface of the wall. Thus, the problem with cold “bridges” is solved; the lathing elements act as lathing elements in the frame method of wall insulation.

Step 1. The walls of the house should be prepared for insulation - cleaned of debris, dirt and dust, dismantled everything that could interfere with the process and sealed the cracks and recesses with tow or pieces of mineral wool.

Step 2. The cleaned wall surface is carefully treated with an antiseptic. If a wooden beam is used as a sheathing, it also undergoes processing.

Step 3. As with the first method, a vapor barrier membrane is attached to the wall with staples.

Step 4. Next, universal U-shaped hangers are attached to the wall. In the horizontal plane, the distance between them should be less than or equal to the width of the mineral wool slab. In the vertical plane, the distance between the suspensions is 50-60 centimeters. They are attached to dowels.

Step 5. Now you need to line the walls with mineral wool. For this method, you need to be especially careful to ensure that there are no large gaps or cracks through which heat will escape in winter. They must be sealed with pieces of mineral wool.

Step 6. The next stage is external vapor barrier and wind protection. The rules for laying the membrane are the same as last time - the joints overlap, the seams are sealed with acrylic adhesive tape.

Step 7 On the outside, a sheathing made of steel profiles or wooden beams is attached to the hangers. It should press the mineral wool slabs against the wall and provide a ventilation gap between them and the siding. Use a level to ensure that the sheathing is installed level.

Important! When insulating in two layers, the slabs of the second layer are positioned so that they overlap the joints of the slabs of the previous layer. This rule is mandatory for both frame and frameless ways installation of thermal insulation.

It can be noted that insulating a wooden house with mineral wool under siding is a relatively simple matter and does not require the use of expensive materials or complex tools, and therefore every homeowner can do it. By carefully following the instructions, you will receive a durable and high-quality thermal insulation, which will serve you for 25-30 years.

Video - Insulation of facade under siding

Video - Installation of mineral wool