Expanded polystyrene boards for heated floors. Installation of polystyrene foam for floors under screed Expanded polystyrene foam for coated heated floors

To reduce heat loss in the house, insulation should be installed. Polystyrene foam is often used for floor insulation. It is also possible to use the material for laying under the floor screed. Most often, this method of insulation is used on the first floors of high-rise buildings, as well as in private houses.

High level of thermal insulation. The material has a low thermal conductivity, which is ensured by a special porous structure. Thanks to this, the foam retains heat well indoors.
Good sound insulation. The material perfectly absorbs sounds both from the outside and from the inside. In addition, due to the insulation vibration level decreases. This allows you to exclude not only the penetration of noise from the street, but also save your neighbors from sounds from their apartment.
Resistant to combustion. When exposed to an open fire, the foam burns, but the process does not last long; the material has the property of self-extinguishing. However, when burned, harmful substances are released that are very dangerous to humans. Therefore, it is not recommended to use the material in conditions of increased fire hazard.
Moisture-resistant and moisture-proof. Polystyrene foam, unlike many other insulation materials, is resistant to moisture and does not absorb water. Therefore, when insulating, a waterproofing layer is not required.
Durability. The material does not deform or shrink during use and is not subject to rotting. That is why insulation can last very long. for a long time without losing its original properties.

Thus, polystyrene foam is a universal building material that can be used to insulate various buildings and structures. He will provide reliable protection from the winter cold.

Installation of foam plastic under the screed

Due to its low weight and special structure, installing foam plastic under a floor screed is quite easy and quick to complete. To carry out the work you will need a building level, guides (beacons), a rule or rail, a spatula, a hacksaw or construction knife, leveling solution (concrete, cement-sand or self-leveling mixture), waterproofing (film or mastic), adhesive tape, reinforcing mesh, polystyrene foam.

Process steps

Preparing the base. Initially, the rough foundation must be prepared for pouring the screed. If there are deep cracks or chips on the floor, they should be covered with cement mortar. All peeling and weak areas must be cleaned of destroyed material. Next, the surface should be cleaned of dirt and dust. Perfect option for this is the use construction vacuum cleaner. However, you can get by with an ordinary broom.
Leveling the base. For getting level base You can use special leveling mixtures or cement-sand or concrete mortar. The thickness of such a layer should be 3-5 cm (depending on the differences in height of the base). The composition should be thoroughly dried before proceeding with the next steps. The drying period depends on the characteristics of the leveling mixture.
Laying a waterproofing layer. Foam plastic is resistant to moisture, but it is still recommended to provide waterproofing. As a rule, special films are used as such materials, which must be laid on top of each other with an overlap of 5-10 cm. The joints are glued with any adhesive tape. It is also necessary to provide for the film to extend onto the wall to a height of 7-10 cm. In some cases, a special mastic can be used instead of the film. The composition is applied using a brush or spatula. The entire floor surface is treated.
Laying foam. Polystyrene foam is laid on the waterproofing. Initially, the plates should be attached with special glue. The composition is applied to the slabs using a spatula, after which the insulation is laid on the prepared base. The glue should not cover the entire surface, but only the edges and a few points along the central axis. The slabs must be laid close to each other, spaced apart (adjacent transverse seams should not be located in one straight line). If during the installation process gaps have formed between them, they should be filled with special mastic or adhesive putty. This will eliminate the occurrence of cold bridges and reduce heat loss in the future.
Finally, as a rule, the foam boards need to be cut. For this, it is best to use a regular wood saw. You can also use a knife (even a kitchen knife will do). For accurate cutting, it is necessary to measure the remaining distance to the wall, which is deposited on the foam. The material is cut according to the marks made.
When laying foam plastic and installing screed in the future, you should leave a small gap between the floor and the wall. Subsequently, the free space is filled with damper tape. This design feature will save the base from deformation in the event of shrinkage of the building. After insulating the entire surface, the slabs are additionally secured to the base using disc-shaped dowels. This will ensure reliable fastening of the thermal insulation and prevent the slabs from moving in the future.
Screed reinforcement. To complete this stage, a concrete or cement-sand screed 1-1.5 cm thick is poured onto the fixed insulation. A metal reinforcing mesh is then laid on it. Thanks to this stage, the strength and durability of the screed will be significantly improved.
The final stage is pouring the final layer of screed. For this, a concrete mixture is used. The thickness of the layer should be within 5-6 cm.
To obtain a flat surface, beacons are initially installed, which are attached to the solution. To position them correctly, you must use a building level. In this case, you need to focus on the highest place on the floor. The fixing solution is applied in large strokes over straight line. Then the beacon is placed on it and pressed tightly.
Further concrete mixture scattered over the surface and leveled with a rule or a lath. The surface is finally leveled with a spatula. During operation, it is recommended to periodically pierce the solution with a metal rod. This will remove the remaining air from the thickness of the viscous solution, which will have a positive effect on the strength of the screed.

All subsequent work can be carried out only after the finishing layer has completely dried. It takes approximately 24-28 days to dry completely. To prevent cracking, it is recommended to moisten the surface with water for the first 10 days.

A “warm floor” system (electric and water) can be installed on foam plastic. In this case, it is recommended to lay waterproofing not only under the insulation, but also on top of it. The best option is to use foam with a foil layer. Such a coating will reflect heat, which will have a positive effect on the indoor microclimate. You can also replace this option with using a foil backing as top waterproofing.

When performing work, you should listen to the advice of specialists. So, it is necessary to choose the thickness of the foam correctly. It is different for multi-storey and private houses. The closer to the foundation the base is located, the thicker the insulation should be. To insulate the first floors, it is better to give preference to slabs with a thickness of 10 cm; for the upper floors, a value of 5 cm is sufficient.

Foam can be placed between different layers. Most often, insulation is installed between the waterproofing and the finishing screed. Subsequently, decorative finishing material is mounted on the screed. You can also place foam between the waterproofing and finishing material. Most often this method is used when finishing the floor. ceramic tiles, which is fixed to cement mortar.

For reinforcement, only high-quality and undamaged mesh should be used. The reliability, strength and durability of the foundation depends on this.

When pouring screed, the process must be carried out without interruption. Otherwise, cracks may form on the surface during operation.

Thus, by acting in accordance with the specified technology and following the advice of specialists, it is possible to insulate the floor efficiently and effectively. If the insulation is installed correctly, the base will last a long time and reliably.

Are you installing a water heated floor system in country house and it's time to lay the insulating underlay? Agree that among the variety of offers of heat-insulating materials offered by manufacturers, it is sometimes not easy to make the right choice.

You don’t know which insulation for a warm water floor is better and what nuances to consider when installing it?

We will help you sort out all the intricacies - this article discusses popular materials used for thermal insulation of underfloor heating systems. The key advantages and disadvantages of each of them are highlighted, and the main characteristics are given.

The process of laying the insulating substrate from various materials. The article is supplied with visual photographs.

To make it easier for you to navigate the assortment offered by the building materials market, we have selected videos with recommendations for choosing insulation and installing it at home.

The need for thermal insulation of the system

In any instructions for installing water heated floors for independent masters it is indicated that it is necessary to use insulation.

The insulation layer when installing a water floor performs several significant functions. It helps not only to ensure uniform heating of the room, but also, acting as a heat shield, can significantly reduce the energy losses of the system.

The screed laid on top of the insulating layer acquires the properties of a solid heat transfer element having large area surfaces

Thanks to the uniform distribution of energy, the ordered convection heat flow begins to move at the same speed and in the same direction.

As a result: evenly distributed heat waves will not form cold and hot areas on the floor, creating the most comfortable conditions for household members.

Moreover, due to the direction of flows warm air using one course, you can reduce the energy costs for operating the system, while maintaining its power unchanged.

Modern thermal insulation mats are equipped with convenient latches in the form of bosses, with the help of which laying and subsequent fixing of pipes can be done quickly and at the same time reliably.

Types of insulation for water heated floors

Insulation options for underfloor water heating systems modern market Quite a few are presented. The choice of substrate thickness is limited only by the material capabilities of the owner and technical parameters premises.

Absolutely all thermal insulation materials prevent the movement of sound waves through their thickness, and therefore are characterized by high noise absorption rates.

Regardless of the design option, special requirements are imposed on the heat-insulating material:

it must have a low thermal conductivity coefficient;
absorb the load created by water-filled pipes;
withstand the load of the screed laid on top of the pipeline;
be resistant to dynamic influences that may arise during operation of the system, and after pressure reduction it must return to its original shape.

The desired effect can be achieved by using insulating material with a density of at least 35 kg/m 3 .

Option #1 - heat-insulating boards

In rooms where the ceiling height reaches 260 centimeters and higher, you can safely give preference to insulation on a rigid polymer base.

Polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam. The basis for the manufacture of thermal insulation boards can be polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam.

The first option was created using a non-extrusion method; between its polymer cells there are channels for the passage of air and steam. Polystyrene foam has a low specific gravity and high vapor permeability.

In the production of polystyrene foam, the extrusion method is used, due to which the cells of the material are firmly sintered by the walls with each other.

Because of this, the vapor permeability of the insulation is practically zero. But it has high strength and the ability to withstand significant mechanical loads.

The specific heat capacity of expanded polystyrene is slightly higher than that of polystyrene foam. In the first case it is equal to 1.34 kJ/(kg°C), in the second it is calculated at 1.26 kJ/(kg°C). The difference is small, but during calculations it can significantly affect the overall thickness of the floor heating system.

The standard size of Penoplex thermal insulation sheets is, for example, 120 cm × 240 cm. GOST number 15588-86 regulates width from 50 cm to 130 cm, length from 90 cm to 500 cm.

The density of foamed polystyrene is 150 kg/m³, the same characteristic of polystyrene foam is 125 kg/m³. Depending on the specifics of production and the properties put into products by manufacturers, the characteristics of materials may vary.

If we compare both types of material, foam plastic is disadvantageous in that it is inferior to its extruded counterpart in terms of density. Due to this, it is less resistant to deformation under mechanical loads.

This significantly reduces its thermal insulation properties. It is recommended to lay polystyrene foam in the structures of decking systems between joists.

Cork. Often, boards made of cork are laid as a thermal insulation layer.

Thanks to the special structure, which consists of miniature prisms correct form, cork insulation has significant compressive strength, as well as a lack of adhesion to cement mortar.

Due to the high cost of the material cork covering More often they are chosen for residential premises, in which the base base is already well insulated.

Otherwise, to achieve the desired effect, you will need to purchase a technical cork with a thickness of at least 30 mm, which can significantly “hit your wallet.”

The only drawback of cork mats is that they are hygroscopic and are also available as single-component heat insulators.

Therefore, when laying them, it is necessary to use an additional layer that will provide steam and water protection.

Mineral wool. As an alternative affordable option - use mineral wool. It is available in the form of a flexible mat or a rigid slab.

Since, when laid in a screed, mineral wool is crushed under weight, which negatively affects its heat-shielding properties, this material is also best combined with decking structures assembled from wooden logs.

The only drawback of the material is the presence of penofol in the composition, which poses a danger to human health, and low moisture resistance. But properly executed waterproofing easily eliminates these shortcomings.

Option #2 - profile systems with guides

Profile systems help facilitate the installation of water circuits. They are created using hydropellent stamping technology, as a result of which shaped protrusions are formed.

Products come in two types: regular and laminated, which are covered with a vapor barrier film.

The basis for their production is extruded polystyrene foam, which is created by squeezing the molten composition through the holes of the extruder.

The polymer base is famous for its resistance to moisture and high mechanical strength. The thickness of the plate itself can vary from 10 to 35 mm. The main thing is that it is proportional to the thickness of the finishing screed.

The side faces of each plate are equipped with locks, which make it convenient to adjust the elements, forming a continuous field, devoid of thermoacoustic seams.

The height of the cylindrical protrusions located on the surface of the plates reaches 20-25 mm. This is enough to conveniently place and securely fix water circuits with a diameter of 14 to 20 mm.

Tightly planted rows of bosses eliminate the possibility of the laid contours shifting during the pouring process cement screed.

A feature of the installation of profile systems is that after laying water circuits in them, the structures are poured on top with a small layer adhesive composition. And only after a day or two, when the glue has completely dried, the system is put into operation.

Option #3 - roll insulation

Roll insulation is chosen for rooms where the distance to the ceilings is critical.

Using thin foil layers with a protective lavsan coating, you can significantly reduce the thickness of the “pie”. The maximum thickness of such a substrate is only 9-12 mm.

Rolled thermal insulation is equipped with a heat-reflecting shell made of lavsan or thermal insulation.

Thin metallized materials perfectly reflect heat rays, so you can safely reduce the thickness of the insulation without fear of reducing the insulating qualities.

An important requirement when using foil options is that materials with aluminum foil cannot be used in the construction of floors with cement-sand screed.

The alkaline environment of the mixture when pouring will simply corrode the aluminum layer. However, if a protective film is applied over the foil, installation is possible. Use is permitted if the solution is mixed with gypsum and not with cement powder.

Some manufacturers replace the foil layer with lavsan or polypropylene film, adding metallized inclusions to it.

The disadvantage of foil materials is that they reflect heat well, but do not insulate well enough. If the floor is laid above a basement, thin roll solutions are not enough.

Some craftsmen solve the problem by laying hard insulating mats not in one layer, but in two. But at the same time, the sheets are placed in such a way that the seams of the lower substrate overlap the seams of the upper one. This allows you to minimize heat loss.

Features of laying insulation

The substrate installation scheme depends on the type of materials used. But in any case, it must be placed on the most flat surface possible.

No. 1 - slab laying technology

The substrate, constructed from slabs with a mounting chamfer, is assembled easily - according to the principle of a designer. The slabs are easy to adjust and measure. You can cut the slabs to the appropriate sizes with a regular knife.

The simplicity of laying the substrate is convenient because during installation you can change the configuration of the circuits and the length of the pipelines at any time.

To prevent the slabs of material from moving relative to each other during installation and operation, their joints are glued with construction tape.

Sequence of actions when laying insulation boards:

Foam boards are laid on the cleaned and leveled base, fixing them with special plastic brackets, anchor dowels or planting on an adhesive composition.
A foil layer is laid on top of the laid and joined slabs.
The top layer is lined with a reinforcing mesh, onto which the pipes are subsequently mounted.

If the concrete screed of the base floor is poured with significant deviations from the level or has rough cracks and unevenness, or concrete plates laid with irregularities, it is better to build a frame before laying the substrate.

To do this, wooden logs are assembled from dry and flat timber section 50x50, 50x100 or 100x100 mm.

A distance of 60 cm between the logs is considered the most optimal option, since this “step” does not require the creation of additional sheathing. The main thing is that the logs are located in the same plane and lie strictly level.

Thermal insulation boards must be tightly laid between wooden joists. If there are cracks, they must be filled with foam.

When laying slabs of extruded polystyrene foam, it is necessary to observe some nuances:

No. 2 - installation of roll materials

The roll material is laid on a carefully leveled base and fixed to the base using tile adhesive or double-sided tape.

Cutting strips of the required size is done with ordinary office scissors.

To compensate for the thermal expansion of the screed, it is recommended to place the foil layer slightly overhanging the wall.

When laying rolled materials, they are guided by the markings of the printed installation markings. It determines the distance between contours.

Usually roll materials Along the edges there are allowances of foil polymer film for the possibility of connecting adjacent panels.

When laying cuts, pay special attention expansion joints. To do this, the joints of the laid strips are glued with one-sided construction or metallized tape.

If cork is used as a substrate, then before laying it it is necessary to take care of reliable vapor and waterproofing.

No. 3 - mat installation diagram

The stage preceding the laying of mats is the installation of film waterproofing. After laying it around the perimeter of the room, strips of damper tape are glued along the bottom of each wall.

Mats are laid on the prepared base, fastening the slabs together using lock system. To reliably fasten slabs of small thickness and light weight, use the adhesive method and use plastic harpoon staples.

An important point: when laying mats, it is not allowed to use metal fasteners, since they can damage the integrity of not only the heat insulator, but also the waterproofing.

Choice optimal option The basis for the thermal insulation substrate depends on your capabilities. Yes, good substrate it won't be cheap. But it will significantly increase the functionality of the equipped water floor system.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Choosing insulation for cement screed:

A clear example of laying mats:

Installation of roll insulation:

In order not to make a mistake in choosing insulation for a water floor, be guided by the technical characteristics of the room, taking into account not only the thickness of the product, but also the maximum permissible load for compression. By choosing a heat insulator wisely and observing all the details of installation, you can create a reliable foundation for arranging a functional floor water system.

sovet-ingenera.com

Expanded polystyrene for heated floors, its characteristics and types

Warm floor is modern look heating system, which many owners dream of and strive to implement in their living spaces. This heating system can be either primary or additional to centralized heating.

Warm floors do not take up any space, since they are located under the finishing cover, but their installation causes a lot of difficulty, since you have to fill in an additional screed, which incurs additional costs, reduces the height of the room and places an additional load on the floor.

People do not always undertake to organize this heating system because of the above shortcomings, but in recent years many builders have begun to solve this problem, thanks to the appearance on the market of a special insulation - polystyrene foam for heated floors.

This material is light in weight, small in thickness (2-5 cm), and is also easy and quick to install.

Characteristics of expanded polystyrene

The material will withstand temperatures up to + 80 degrees

Expanded polystyrene is excellent for creating the initial layer of a heated floor “pie”, since it has a smooth surface that goes well with the subfloor. It has a slightly noticeable porous structure. Like any other building material, polystyrene foam has its own specific characteristics:

It can be used and installed at absolutely any temperature: from -65 to +80°C.
The bubble structure of the material is capable of providing excellent thermal insulation properties, having a thermal conductivity of 0.036 - 0.044 W/m2.
A consequence of the porous air-filled structure is the low weight of the slab.
The material can also perform 2 functions - waterproofing, since it does not absorb moisture at all.
Products made from polystyrene foam have good noise insulation. A 2 cm layer of slab can reduce the noise level by 20 dB.
Polystyrene has self-extinguishing properties and has a fairly low flammability, but during the smoldering process the material releases a number of harmful substances threatening human health.

You should know that expanded polystyrene is a direct relative of polystyrene foam, but has a higher density (3-4 times) and a smaller bubble structure, which indicates a high cost.

It should be remembered that in terms of thermal conductivity, 10 cm of polystyrene foam corresponds to 1 m of brickwork and 37.5 cm of wood.

Types of expanded polystyrene

Unpressed panels are brittle and breakable

Many polystyrene foam manufacturers use different technologies production, which leads to the creation of material different types. Today there are the following types:

Unpressed polystyrene foam (EPS, PSB-S). The drying process of granules is carried out twice. Once before foaming, and 2 times after this event. The material is then heated and poured into molds. This is the most common version of the polystyrene foam production process, it has the lowest cost, but is also the most fragile material.
Extruded (EPS, XPS). This production material is characterized by a production process that takes place under high pressure in a certain container-form into which a special reagent for foaming is introduced. After which the entire mass is squeezed out through an extruder into a slab shape and dried.
Pressed polystyrene (PS-1, PS-4) has the same thermal conductivity as extruded polystyrene, but the production processes are different.
The autoclave production method is no different from extrusion; only when foaming granules, manufacturing companies use an autoclave. This material is not used for thermal insulation.

You should know that during the production process a special additive is added to polystyrene foam, which contains a fire retardant substance that adds building material fire safety. The use of such an additive is regulated by GOST - 15588-86.

How to select the material yourself?

Every owner strives to ensure that the most best material, this also applies to polystyrene foam. When choosing a material for a heated floor, you should pay attention to:

Product color. It should be bright over the entire surface.
There should be no smell. A pungent odor from the material indicates poor quality and an incorrect manufacturing process.
The edges of the product must be dense and not crumble.
A smooth surface without any dents or bulges.
The granules are the same size.

When choosing a material, you can conduct a small experiment yourself: you need to break one slab and analyze the location of the split.

If the slab cracks not clearly at the break point, but in a wave (the granules remain intact), this means that the firing process was performed incorrectly, and such material should not be purchased. For information on choosing insulation for a heated floor, watch this video:

gurupola.ru

Structure of a water heated floor

First, let's look at structural composition warm floor. As a standard, a heated floor consists of the following elements:

Floor slab (reinforced concrete)
Waterproofing, since the slightest moisture from below seriously impairs the thermal insulation properties of any insulating material
Insulation (its task is to minimize heat losses down and create maximum heat flow upward, i.e. into the room, which we try to heat with our water heated floor system)
Underfloor heating pipe from which heat flows in all directions

The minimum thickness of the screed is 65 millimeters and minimum distance from the top edge of the pipe to the edge of the screed - 45 millimeters. And be sure to lay a damper tape around the perimeter of the entire room to minimize heat loss through the walls and allow the layer of concrete screed to move freely. Since there is no rigid connection between the concrete screed and the wall, the screed breathes, so it must be separated from the wall using a damper tape.

As we see, our task is to direct the heat upward into the heated room and prevent it from going down into the basement or onto the street. This is why we are offered to install underlayment for heated floors.

Types of insulation materials

To prevent heat loss, the following types of insulation are used:

Expanded polystyrene boards with bosses

Available with or without coating. An uncoated slab easily loses its boss during assembly and installation. warm pipe. Coated slabs allow you to move along them with caution, without losing the bosses, but the heated floor pipe between them is not fixed, i.e. For additional fastening it is necessary to use anchor brackets. The average cost of a coated slab is about 600 rubles per 1 square meter.

Polystyrene foam boards with plastic coated bosses

The thickness of such a slab is 2 cm, the coating is made of plastic, which allows you to walk on the slab completely calmly, the bosses do not get knocked down. The pipe is fixed quite firmly between the bosses and does not jump out, whether it is metal-plastic or cross-linked polyethylene. No additional fixing elements are required. The average cost of such a slab is 680 rubles per 1 square meter.

Expanded polystyrene smooth plates

Lower density, thickness from 2 to 10 cm, cost for a slab 2 cm thick - 100 rubles per 1 square meter.

Underlay for heated floors with markings

Folgoizol, isoline and underfloor heating are not insulation! Their thickness is 3-4 millimeters, polyethylene foam. The only function is to increase convenience when laying out smooth slabs.

What does saving on insulation lead to?

For example, let's take a room with an area of 50 square meters.

Usually they use polystyrene foam with bosses, the cost is 1 sq. meter on average 600 rubles, thickness - 2 cm. In most cases, this thickness is not enough for insulation, with the exception of the southern regions. Additional insulation up to 4 cm will cost another 150 rubles per square meter. The total amount will be 7,500 rubles. About saving this amount and we're talking about when choosing insulation. Naturally, the owner of the house strives to cut costs and often chooses the cheapest option - underlayment for heated floors, instead of the insulation itself. Ultimately, such a thrifty home owner heats the street and spends even more money to maintain comfortable temperature in room.

Calculation of the cost of water heated floors

We have two rooms in front of us:

the first with normal, high-quality insulation of the required thickness;
the second - with a substrate for a warm floor under insulation and a “thrifty” owner.

In the first house, with a reasonable owner with 4 cm of insulation, the heat flow into the room exceeds the heat flow down three times. Those. all the heat that the owner of the house pays for is used to heat the room, not the street!
In the house of a “frugal” owner, the heat flow upward (to the room that needs to be heated) is almost equal to the heat flow downward (to the street, to nowhere). Forty watts per square meter go down the drain.

On 1 square meter with underfloor heating we lose 40 W, on 50 square meters - 2000 W.
1 cubic meter of natural gas provides 10 kW of thermal power and costs 4.5 rubles (the price depends on the region, from 4 to 8 rubles).
10 00 W/2000 W = 5 hours – this is how much 1 cubic meter of natural gas is enough for heat loss.
The boiler operates on average 12 hours a day. 12/5=2.4 cubic meters of gas are spent per day on heating the street.
2.4 (cubic meters) x 4.5 (rubles) x 30 (days) x 7 (months of the heating period) = 2,268 rubles per year.

They paid 7,500 rubles for the insulation / 2,268 rubles = 3.3 years - the payback period for the insulation. When using underfloor heating, heat losses will increase! These materials are not insulation!

DO NOT USE UNDERWARMING FLOOR INSTEAD OF INSULATION!

Using insulation materials with insufficient thickness for complete thermal insulation or when using foil insulation, isoline (they are also a substrate for heated floors), the owner of the house loses a lot of heat in the lower direction. This is either unreasonable savings or a serious misconception of the homeowner. Heat losses in this case are comparable to the heat flow entering the room. The use of high-quality insulation of the required thickness pays off in an average of 3-3.5 years of operation of a heated floor, when using natural gas as an energy source. Natural gas at the same time, it is the cheapest source of energy; if we talk about other sources, then insulation can pay for itself in 1 heating period (i.e. in 7 months).

eurosantehnik.ru

Penofol

Penofol is foamed polyethylene covered with foil on one or both sides. The heat-reflecting effect is achieved due to, figuratively speaking, captured air bubbles, as well as a layer of aluminum foil.

Advantages of penofol:

small thickness, only 2 – 10 mm;
withstands temperature changes from -60°C to +100°C;
insulates well from noise, moisture and steam;
low price - only about 0.1 USD for 1m².

However, it also has a drawback. Aluminum is destroyed if it comes into contact with cement, and this is the main component of the floor screed. Therefore, over time, it will cease to fulfill its main purpose - to reflect heat.

Demand dictates supply, so the buyer can be offered a sheet of laminated polyethylene foam with a foil surface. Lamination reliably protects aluminum from destruction.

Expanded polystyrene

Expanded polystyrene is a more accurate name for polystyrene foam. These are compressed granules that are 98% air. It has low density and, therefore, lightness. What are the advantages of polystyrene foam as floor insulation?

Ease of processing.
Resistant to water, mineral oils, acids and alkalis.
Does not rot, is not affected by bacteria.
High thermal insulation performance. 30mm thick foam will retain as much heat as reinforced concrete slab thicker than 1 meter.

But foam plastic also has disadvantages:

A “fresh” sheet of foam plastic has good compression properties, which means it can withstand heavy loads. However, after 2 years its thickness will decrease by 20%, while its density will increase. In other words, as it ages, it becomes deformed.
Even covered with a layer of screed from getting in sun rays, it is still oxidized by air and releases toxic substances, albeit not in large quantities. The higher the temperature, the greater the evaporation.

Penoplex

Penoplex is polystyrene foam produced by extrusion or extrusion. The result is a lightweight, high-density product. In addition, thanks to this method, the air cells inside are very small and numerous, and it turns out that it is able to retain even better thermal energy compared to other insulation materials.

Penoplex is best suited for heated floors for the following reasons:

Allowable height flooring. It is not always possible to raise the floors by 7–8 cm. In this case, penofol with its small thickness will be a good compromise option.
Insulation as part of a water floor system from a specific manufacturer. OEMs and Supplies can provide a guarantee of the effective operation of their products only if insulation of the same brand is used.

Thus, prudence will prompt you to weigh and take into account not only the thermal effect during floor installation work, but also whether the insulation characteristics will be maintained in the future. And of course, you shouldn’t write off how the finished floor will look in combination with the rest of the interior finishing elements.

How to thermally insulate a warm water floor with your own hands, watch the video:

6sotok-dom.com

Insulation for warm water floors: types

With minor deviations, but most often the “pie” of a heated floor has the following layers:

Base.
Insulation layer.
Reinforcing mesh (not in all types).
Pipes.
Concrete covering or other type of screed.
Flooring material.

In order for a warm floor to work to its maximum, factors such as what lies at its base, what material the pipes are made of, and what the finishing coating will be should be taken into account. But heat preservation is also an important factor, and it largely depends on the insulation used, since it is this that prevents or reduces heat loss through the subfloor.

Many consumers are interested in which insulation for a warm water floor is better.

The following materials can be selected:

To choose the optimal material for a warm water floor, you should know their distinctive features.

Foam plastic: advantages and disadvantages

Today, this material is used in many industries, and construction is no exception. Polystyrene foam for a warm water floor is an opportunity to make it not only high-quality, but cheaper.

The advantages of this building material and its additional functions are:

Affordability, thanks to which it is available to any consumer.
He able to withstand heavy loads (up to 400 kg/m2) without losing shape.
Better to buy foil foam under a warm water floor, as it will reflect heat into the room.
In addition to its heat-saving qualities, it is excellent protects the system from possible moisture accumulation.
He Suitable for all fire safety parameters, since in case of fire it goes out on its own and is not subject to rotting.
Such thermal insulation for a warm water floor provides additional sound insulation, which is not superfluous in an apartment building.
It is easy to cut and install.

As practice shows, polystyrene foam is more often than other materials purchased as insulation under a warm water floor, but since the construction market is constantly replenished with new types of heat insulators, you should study them before making your choice.

Penoplex and its properties

Extruded polystyrene foam recently entered the domestic market, but has already established itself as an excellent insulation material, although this is not its only quality.

Penoplex under a warm water floor allows you to:

Direct heat evenly in all directions in the room, without creating cold spots. At the same time, it will not go into the floor slabs, creating warm ceiling, or will not heat the basement.
Has low thermal conductivity.
It's easy to install, grabbing the slabs with construction tape.
It is environmentally friendly, easy to cut, resistant to moisture and fungal microorganisms.

Penoplex for a warm water floor is far from cheap material, but since a layer of only 2-3 cm is enough, it won’t “hit” your wallet too much.

If a heated floor is used as part of the “pie” this building material, then it is necessary to lay any waterproofing material on top of it so that moisture from the screed does not get on it. It does not absorb water and it does not destroy it, but it can remain on its surface, which is completely unnecessary in an underfloor heating system.

To figure out which thermal insulation for a warm water floor is better, you should calculate its heat transfer.

Heat transfer calculation

The advantage of a warm water floor over other types heating systems is that it allows the heat to be evenly distributed throughout the room up to the ceiling, and the temperature difference between the “legs and head” will be only 2 to 4 degrees.

Before choosing the type of heated floor and the necessary Additional materials, you should make a full calculation of what the heat transfer of a water heated floor should be. The table below allows you to make the necessary calculations.

When calculating, you need to take into account:

To simplify the task, you should use online calculator, where all the numbers are entered, and he independently makes calculations based on the original data.

To ensure that the indoor climate is as comfortable as possible for living, special attention should be paid to high-quality thermal insulation enclosing structures. A poorly insulated floor can cause significant heat loss and the formation of condensation, which is an ideal environment for the growth of fungi and mold. Today, expanded polystyrene for underfloor heating is considered one of the most modern and reliable methods of thermal insulation.

Thermal insulator good quality must have a number of the following qualities:

Ecological cleanliness,
Resistance to moisture,
Ease of installation,
Maximum seamlessness,
Resistance to temperature changes,
High-quality sound insulation,
High resistance to compression and cracking,
Non-flammability.

Modern insulation materials can be divided into two groups:

Insulation materials consisting of mineral fibers (glass wool and mineral wool). They are manufactured in the form of mats, slabs and rolls.
Insulation materials consisting of foam materials (foam plastic, polyurethane foam, polypropylene foam, polyethylene foam and polystyrene for heated floors). They are manufactured in the form of panels, blocks and slabs.

Polystyrene underfloor heating system - brief description

Expanded polystyrene for heated floors, in most cases, is colored slabs with a perfectly smooth surface, which when broken look like foam rubber - with many small pores. This material is a type of foam that was obtained by combining carbon and hydrogen atoms. It is obtained by foaming granular extruded material using volatile petroleum products. To obtain the desired effect, water vapor is used. Thanks to this, it is possible to produce a lightweight substance with a cellular structure, high strength, as well as excellent thermal and waterproofing properties.

Extruded polystyrene foam for underfloor heating is simply an excellent material for thermal insulation.

It has high strength and heat retention, its chemical and physical qualities remain unchanged at temperature fluctuations from -180 to 180 °C. Naturally, it provides excellent thermal insulation of the floor (due to the fact that it consists of almost nothing but air bubbles). This material is characterized by a high coefficient of moisture resistance, due to which polystyrene slabs for heated floors do not swell and do not absorb excess moisture. When using this material, it is necessary to lay an additional fireproof layer (for example, aluminum foil).

Polystyrene heated floor - installation features

Before laying the insulation, it is necessary to carry out all the necessary preparatory work, which include leveling the floor using a cement screed.
To achieve the best possible sound insulation, a special thermoacoustic film should be spread over the cement.
After this, a polystyrene foam plate for a warm floor is laid, the edges of which must be joined so that it is in a free position.
To ensure waterproofing of the floor, polystyrene foam must be covered with a waterproofing film. For these purposes, it is recommended to choose a film with a thickness of about 0.2 mm or more, since material that is too thin will not be very effective. Where the edges of the material join each other, the film must be overlapped so that the overlap width is at least 10 cm.
To reliably strengthen the structure, an additional layer of cement screed should be applied with a height of 5 cm.
The final stage is laying any flooring, such as parquet or linoleum.

How to choose polystyrene foam for a warm water floor?

If it is necessary to insulate the floor, then polystyrene foam from almost any manufacturer is perfect for this purpose. The modern building materials market offers a large assortment of fairly high-quality materials, among which the greatest demand is for extruded polystyrene foam for underfloor heating of the types “Penoplex 31 Standard”, “Penoplex 31”, “Penoplex 35 Standard”, “Penoplex 35”, “Technoplex 35 Standard” , "Technoplex 35" and "Termite 35". For floors, shallow foundations, fire tanks and swimming pools, Penoplex 31 is most often used.

As for expanded polystyrene for heated floors “Penoplex 35”, this material has high fire resistance. For this reason, it is often used in the construction of many enclosing structures (roofing, flooring, walls). Technoplex is able to maintain its performance at temperature changes from -50 to +75 °C, which allows it to be used for insulating loggias, balconies, plaster facades or roofs. “Termite” - expanded polystyrene for heated floors, the price of which is slightly higher than others, has the lowest water absorption rate, due to which it is successfully used when laying foundations in swampy areas.

In addition to extruded polystyrene foam, there are roll and sheet cork, which are also often used in construction. To prevent overheating of the room, you should choose foil-coated polystyrene foam for heated floors.

The process of organizing insulation these days is given great attention, since it determines how energy-intensive a residential or domestic space will be.

Indeed, now they pay great attention to preserving heat in the room, since heating resources (wood, coal, gas and electricity) are expensive, so it is customary to insulate your house or apartment and create maximum operating efficiency heating elements. Insulation based on polystyrene and mineral wool is often used, including extruded polystyrene foam for heated floors.

Expanded polystyrene for heated floors, its characteristics and types

Warm floors are a modern type of heating system that many owners dream of and strive to implement in their living spaces. This heating system can be either primary or additional to centralized heating.

This material is light in weight, small in thickness (2-5 cm), and is also easy and quick to install.

Characteristics of expanded polystyrene

The material will withstand temperatures up to + 80 degrees

It can be used and installed at absolutely any temperature: from -65 to +80°C.
The bubble structure of the material is capable of providing excellent thermal insulation properties, having a thermal conductivity of 0.036 - 0.044 W/m2.
A consequence of the porous air-filled structure is the low weight of the slab.
The material can also perform 2 functions - waterproofing, since it does not absorb moisture at all.
Products made from polystyrene foam have good noise insulation. A 2 cm layer of slab can reduce the noise level by 20 dB.
Polystyrene has self-extinguishing properties and has a fairly low flammability, but during the smoldering process the material releases a number of harmful substances that threaten human health.

You should know that expanded polystyrene is a direct relative of polystyrene foam, but has a higher density (3-4 times) and a smaller bubble structure, which indicates a high cost.

It should be remembered that in terms of thermal conductivity, 10 cm of polystyrene foam corresponds to 1 m of brickwork and 37.5 cm of wood.

Types of expanded polystyrene

Unpressed panels are brittle and breakable

Many polystyrene foam manufacturing companies use different production technologies, which leads to the creation of different types of material. Today there are the following types:

Unpressed polystyrene foam (EPS, PSB-S). The drying process of granules is carried out twice. Once before foaming, and 2 times after this event. The material is then heated and poured into molds. This is the most common version of the polystyrene foam production process, it has the lowest cost, but is also the most fragile material.
Extruded (EPS, XPS). This material production is characterized by a production process that takes place under high pressure in a certain container-form, into which a special foaming reagent is introduced. After which the entire mass is squeezed out through an extruder into a slab shape and dried.
Pressed polystyrene (PS-1, PS-4) has the same thermal conductivity as extruded polystyrene, but the production processes are different.
The autoclave production method is no different from extrusion; only when foaming granules, manufacturing companies use an autoclave. This material is not used for thermal insulation.

You should know that during the production process, a special additive is added to expanded polystyrene, which contains a fire retardant substance, which adds fire safety to the building material. The use of such an additive is regulated by GOST - 15588-86.

How to select the material yourself?

Every owner strives to ensure that the best material is used at his construction site, this also applies to polystyrene foam. When choosing a material for a heated floor, you should pay attention to:

Product color. It should be bright over the entire surface.
There should be no smell. A pungent odor from the material indicates poor quality and an incorrect manufacturing process.
The edges of the product must be dense and not crumble.
A smooth surface without any dents or bulges.
The granules are the same size.

When choosing a material, you can conduct a small experiment yourself: you need to break one slab and analyze the location of the split.

Features of installing polystyrene foam under heated floors

The insulation boards must be tightly adjacent to each other

Warm floors do not have to be installed on a concrete screed. The supporting structure can be wood flooring, the main thing is that the polystyrene foam boards are laid tightly to each other.

Before laying insulation boards, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the covering from debris and eliminate all unevenness.

It may be necessary to repair the rough screed using a special mixture, sealing all cracks and damage.

When you are sure that the surface is smooth and clean, you can begin installing the polystyrene foam boards. At the same time, each unit of the product should not stick out or move. All insulating flooring must fit snugly against the walls.

A number of manufacturers of polystyrene products create boards with grooves and tenons. When installing such insulation, you need to pay attention to ensure that the connecting elements are not damaged.

Special slabs for heated floors have not only joint grooves, but also limiters for laying pipes or electrical cables.

Typically, pairs of limiters are located at a distance of 3-8 cm from each other, thereby allowing you to arbitrarily choose the distance between the heating elements.

After laying the cable or pipes between the limiters, you should do a test run and cover the heating elements with waterproofing film (with a water-heated floor).

A light covering such as parquet or laminate can be laid directly on top of polystyrene foam, and rolled materials (linoleum, carpet) and tiles should be laid on sheet materials, plywood or OSB board, which is laid on top of the insulation.

In rooms with high levels of humidity, self-leveling mixtures are used, which are poured onto the insulation, at the same level with gaps for laying pipes.

One example of flooring can be seen from the diagram below.

From this article, each owner will be able to highlight information about choosing polystyrene foam for heated floors. It is worth deciding on your product option, taking into account all the disadvantages and advantages. The choice of material should be made only independently.

Many would dream of installing a heated floor in their home, but are deterred by the high cost of the electric one and the laboriousness of installing the water version. The work on its production is technologically complex, associated with dust, dirt and considerable costs. And besides, it happens that they cannot bear the concrete screed load-bearing floors or the ceiling height is not enough. But there is a modern alternative to heavy concrete method fillings are polystyrene foam for heated floors:

it is light;
small thickness;
it's much easier to install.

Let's look into everything thoroughly.

Polystyrene is not some kind of innovation. It was first synthesized from styrene in 1929. In the USSR, this material has been produced since 1965. It can be found everywhere: in refrigerators, televisions, disposable dishes, house construction and packaging materials.

Expanded polystyrene for heated floors - brief description

Expanded polystyrene boards have a smooth surface.

On the cut you can see many small pores similar to foam rubber.

The material is simply ideal as a basis for heated floors.

Let's look at the main characteristics and properties of polystyrene foam, which make it possible to use this material for laying heated floors:

Operating temperature indicators with which it can work are from -60 to +85°C. ( maximum values-180 +180°С).
The structure with air bubbles provides excellent thermal insulation (air content – 97 – 98%). Thermal conductivity = 0.037 – 0.043 W/m2.
As a result of the porous structure, and low weight.
At the same time, the slab will also act as waterproofing, since the material does not absorb moisture.
Soundproofing properties. A layer of 3 cm reduces the noise level by 25 dB.
Flammability. The spontaneous combustion threshold of polystyrene is 2 times lower than that of wood. In addition, it releases less thermal energy. Self-extinguishing types of polystyrene foam actually stop burning if the exposure to the flame stops, but due to the gases used for their production, when melted, these types emit more substances that are toxic to humans.

A 12 cm layer of polystyrene foam corresponds to 45 cm of wood and 1.2 m of brick!

Expanded polystyrene is a relative of polystyrene foam. But there are differences. Expanded polystyrene:

4 times denser and therefore stronger than polystyrene foam.
More uniform.
Costs more.

For construction work, polystyrene foam with the addition of fire retardants (substances that add fire safety to the material) is used. In Russia, GOST 15588–86 has been adopted for slabs.

Laying features

The material can be laid on any base (including wooden floors).

Installation of the system is much simpler, cleaner and faster than in the case of a concrete screed, because in fact you just need to lay the slabs.

Let's consider the stages of laying polystyrene foam under a heated floor:

Before installation begins, the base is leveled and cleaned, because the future polystyrene layer will repeat all the unevenness. If the base is slightly movable, differences in the calculated load should not be more than 2 mm/m.
Thermoacoustic film can be spread on the base, under a layer of polystyrene, if you need to improve sound insulation.
Next, polystyrene boards are laid. The process is like assembling a large puzzle. You need to carefully ensure that all the elements are in their places. The edges of the slabs should not be allowed to join “tightly” and be compressed (grooves can be made on the sides for tightly joining the slabs). They must fit together precisely, but freely.
The grooves of polystyrene plates have a thickness of 20 - 40 mm. Aluminum plates (thermal distributors) are inserted into them, into which the pipe is subsequently placed. This simple installation step replaces a lengthy process self-application diagrams of pipes, their fastening and filling of screed.
Aluminum has excellent thermal conductivity and, in combination with underfloor heating pipes, provides high-quality, uniform heating. You just need to distribute them so that at least 80% of the surface area is covered with aluminum.
After the pipes are laid, you need to do a test run of heat for a day.
The next layer is waterproofing. An ordinary film will do, it is only desirable that its thickness be at least 0.2 mm. The film must be laid with an overlap (about 10 cm).

Expanded polystyrene goes well with any finishing: laminate, parquet, linoleum, carpet, tiles, etc.). Only under soft coverings and the tiles will need to be laid on a rigid base. For example, a layer of chipboard, or cement particle boards. Parquet and laminate can be installed directly on a polystyrene floor.

In rooms where water is expected to get on the floor (swimming pools), the polystyrene floor is filled with a self-leveling mixture.

Do not leave floors covered with polystyrene exposed for long periods of time. The material holds distribution loads well, but is very vulnerable to point pressure.

A dropped tool, a carelessly placed object, or a shoe heel will damage the surface.

How to choose polystyrene foam for a warm water floor?

Quality

High quality polystyrene foam board can be distinguished by the following characteristics:

Color: uniform, bright (more recently, White color- not the only one used for polystyrene foam boards, however, this does not affect the quality, and therefore should not affect the price).
Smell: absent or barely perceptible. A strong chemical smell is evidence of poor quality.
Edges: dense, smooth. If they crumble and crumble - bad sign, such a stove will be very difficult to work with.
Surface: smooth, without dents or damage.
Granules: approximately the same size, without gaps or voids.

Carry out a small experiment: break a small piece of material and see how it breaks - only between the granules or right along them too? If the first option is bad, it means they weren’t sintered enough.

And here we will analyze the types of electric heated floors and try to determine which option is better.

Kinds

Different technologies have produced several varieties of material:

Unpressed(EPS, PSB-S and others). The granules are dried, foamed at 80° C, then dried and heated again. The mixture is poured into molds, where it cools and thickens. The most inexpensive, widespread option, but also the most fragile.
Extruded or extruded(EPS, XPS and others). Granules are produced at high temperature and pressure, while a foaming reagent (a mixture of freons and carbon dioxide) is introduced. After which, the mass is squeezed out through an extruder. The last stage is drying.
Autoclaved(Stirofoam). In essence, it is the same extruded polystyrene foam, but an autoclave is used to foam and sinter the granules. Not used for thermal insulation.
Pressed(PS-4, PS-1). Thermal conductivity is the same as extruded.

Characteristics of some options:

Penoplex 35 is highly resistant to fire, so it is often used for walls, roofs, and floors.
Technoplex is resistant to cold. Used for balconies, roofs, facades.
Termite is the most low level moisture absorption. Can be used where high humidity, including for foundations.

The thickness of the polystyrene plate can be from 15 to 70 mm. If the floor is located above unheated room or soil, the thickness of polystyrene foam should be 15 cm (in the north), or 10 cm (in mid-latitudes).