Insulation of walls from the inside in bathhouses. What insulation is best for a bathhouse? Insulating a steam room from the inside step-by-step instructions

Detailed instructions for insulating a bathhouse from the inside: insulating walls, floors and ceilings. To insulate a bathhouse with your own hands, you don’t need to have any special skills; you only need a standard set of tools and our instructions!

The vast majority of country house owners cannot imagine their property without a real Russian bathhouse or sauna. But in order for it to function properly, and really bring only strength and health to the owners, it is very important to insulate it well; methods of insulation are considered at the stage of drawing up the bathhouse design, but this can also be done with a completed building

To know how to properly insulate a bathhouse from the inside, you need to study the technology of this process and choose the right materials.

Materials for work

Before you start considering insulation technology, you need to figure out what materials need to be prepared for the job.

1. Thermal insulation material is the most important component in the process of insulating the walls, ceiling and floor of a bathhouse. Today there are a large number of insulation materials, but not all of them are suitable for bath conditions. Which ones are most adapted to high temperatures and humidity?

Rating of insulation for baths

• Low price
• Good thermal insulation
• Light weight
• Multifunctionality and wide scope of application
• Durability
• High resistance against fungi and various microorganisms
• Easy to install

• When burned, releases toxic substances
• Release of harmful substances even at low temperatures
• Creates a vapor barrier
• Hygroscopicity
• Afraid of the sun's rays
• Whole until the mice get there
• Not resistant to solvents
• Low resistance to mechanical damage

Prices for expanded polystyrene

expanded polystyrene

• It “sticks” perfectly to any materials – brick, glass, wood, concrete and metal.
• It is distinguished by its extraordinary lightness and does not weigh down the surface.
• The polyurethane foam coating does not respond to cold weather and warming throughout the year.
• Unlike sheet and panel thermal insulation, this type of insulation is a single whole. There are no joints or seams through which cold air can enter the room.

• Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, rapid wear of the insulation can occur.
• Polyurethane foams are low-flammability materials. However, where the surface becomes too hot or may catch fire, polyurethane foam should not be used.

• High price of material and high cost of spraying services

Prices for polyurethane foam

polyurethane foam

• Low thermal conductivity, which makes it an excellent insulation material
• Fire safety
• Resistant to temperature changes.
• Excellent vapor permeability, making the material “breathable”
• Easy to install

• When moisture is absorbed, the thermal insulation properties decrease and cold bridges form.
• Large weight and volume, increased shipping costs

Prices for mineral wool

mineral wool

• High frost resistance – withstands temperatures down to -70 °C without loss of properties.
• High degree of fire resistance.
• Safety for humans.
• Durability - 45 years.

• Low vapor permeability – 0.007-0.008 mg/m·h·Pa.
• Flammability. Even despite its self-extinguishing properties, the material burns when in contact with fire.
• Low sound insulation.
• Blowability of seams.

Prices for XPS Boards

• Low price
• Acid resistance
• Quickly absorbs moisture and does not lose its positive qualities

• Long drying
• Requires dust protection during installation

Prices for expanded clay

Getting to know characteristics leads to the conclusion that mineral wool is most suitable for insulating a bathhouse from the inside for walls and wooden floors, and XPS slabs are most suitable for concrete. Expanded clay can be called a universal material that is perfect for any floor, but it cannot be used for walls for internal insulation.

If you buy it, it will be perfect for a bath material with a foil layer, which promotes long-term heat retention indoors using the principle of a thermos. For example, some characteristics of foil mineral wool insulation from the Izorok company are shown in the table:

2. To fasten mineral wool mats or other foil insulation, and create a seamless sealed surface coating, you will need to purchase special foil tape.

3. The insulation is placed between the sheathing guides, which means you will need wooden blocks with a cross-section that depends on the thickness of the insulating mats. If, as an example, we take the recommended insulation thickness of 100 mm, then the bars should have the same size on one side, or double lathing with perpendicular guides and a two-layer arrangement of mats will be used.

4. The bars are attached to the walls using self-tapping screws, dowels or anchors (depending on the type of wall material), so it is necessary to purchase these elements of the required length, corresponding to both the size of the guides and the required penetration into the walls - for wood - 20 ÷ 25 mm, for solid walls - at least 40 mm.

5. If you choose insulation without a foil layer, then to cover it you will need a vapor barrier film.

6. If the floor in the bathhouse is filled with concrete screed, then in addition to insulation you will need:

— cement and sand or ready-made construction mixture;

- roofing felt;

— reinforcing mesh;

— guides for beacons;

- polyethylene film ;

- damper tape.

The amount of materials will depend on the area of ​​the floor, ceiling and walls of the insulated room.

Having prepared everything you need, you can move on to insulating the surfaces of bath rooms.

Insulation of bath floors

As you know, a bathhouse can be built of wood or brick, which is why not only wood, but also concrete is installed. The latter is most often poured in a brick bath, but sometimes it is also done in a wooden one. In any case, a concrete floor always requires enhanced insulation.

Thermal insulation of floors in any bathhouse should be given special attention, since they must withstand high humidity and temperature changes between the rooms and the ground. Therefore, before proceeding with the installation of a multi-layer “pie” of a wooden floor or a concrete device, it is recommended to cover the entire surface under the structure of the bathhouse with a medium fraction or slag.

The expanded clay layer will depend on the thickness of the walls of the building. It must be at least twice as thick as they are. It should be noted that if it is possible and space allows to make the expanded clay embankment thicker, then this will only increase the effectiveness of thermal insulation. If the bathhouse is built of brick and installed on a concrete foundation, then it is recommended to fill it with expanded clay almost to the entire height of the foundation strip.

Concrete floor

In order for the concrete floor of the bathhouse to be warm, you need to do a number of operations that are carried out after connecting the drain pipe (it must be raised in advance to the height of the future screed). The work consists of the following stages:

• The soil is compacted well in the morning, and the walls are covered with a waterproofing compound.
• Next, a layer of sand 80 ÷ 100 mm thick is poured onto the ground, moistened and compacted.
• Roofing felt is laid on top of the sand, extending onto the walls by 150 ÷ ​​200 mm. The canvases are laid with an overlap of 120 ÷ 150 mm; it is advisable to fasten them with waterproof tape or thermally glue them together using tar mastic.
• Next, expanded clay is poured onto the roofing felt in such a way that the future floor screed is approximately 50 mm lower than the height of the foundation.

• Next, expanded clay is distributed over the entire surface in an even layer. Additionally, XPS slabs 50 mm thick can be laid on it - they have sufficient rigidity and can easily withstand all loads; do not forget that before laying them, expanded clay should be covered with dense polyethylene.

• A reinforcing mesh with cells from 50 to 100 mm is laid on the surface prepared in this way.
• Beacons are placed on top of the reinforcing belt, along which it will be aligned.
• If the opening of the drain pipe is located in the center of the insulated room, then the beacons are laid at a slight angle to it, so that when leveling the concrete, a slight slope is formed on all sides of the room towards the drain.
• Next, along the perimeter of the room, a damper tape is glued or otherwise attached to the lower part of the walls. This measure will preserve the screed from deformation during temperature changes, since compensates thermal expansion of the material.

• Prepared concrete, mixed with sand and cement in a ratio of 3:1, is laid on the reinforcing mesh and leveled using building regulations. It is advisable to introduce into the composition special plasticizers that are commercially available - this will improve the quality of the coating. Often, ready-made screed mixtures with an already optimized composition for rooms with high humidity or for external works .
• After the screed has hardened and gained strength, it is impregnated with a waterproofing compound () of deep penetration.

• Once the soil has dried, ceramic tiles are laid. Another option is to install joists with wooden flooring on the concrete floor. Well-treated boards on it should be fixed at a distance of 20 ÷ 30 mm from each other.

Wooden floor

Plank floors are traditional for wooden baths. To arrange them correctly, in addition to insulation operations, you need to provide high-quality waterproofing. Don’t forget about floor ventilation - for this, special channels must be left in the foundation.

Work on installation and insulation of the floor is carried out in such a sequence:

• First of all, a drain pipe is connected to the bathhouse. The drain is usually located in the middle of the room, and all insulation materials and the ceiling are arranged around it.

• Roofing material is laid on the compacted soil, which should rise to the walls by 150 ÷ ​​200 mm.
• Expanded clay is laid on top of the waterproofing. The greater its thickness, the better, but between its surface and the floor beams there must be a ventilation distance of at least 200 ÷ 250 mm.
• Next, on waterproofed Floor beams are laid in layers of roofing felt over the protruding part of the foundation. All wooden floor elements must be treated in advance.

• Skull blocks are nailed or screwed onto the lower parts of the floor beams, onto which the subfloor boards will be mounted.

• The subfloor is covered with a vapor-proof film, which covers both the floor beams and the boards laid between them.
• Next, insulation is laid on the subfloor between the floor beams - it can be mineral wool or expanded clay.

• The top of the insulating material is covered with another layer of vapor barrier film.

• The logs are fixed perpendicular to the floor beams, on which the wooden flooring is placed. A hole is made in the middle - the drain pipe will go into it.

• On the style, slats are nailed, cut at an angle of 5-7 degrees towards the drain - they will become a lathing for installing a waterproof wooden floor.
• Insulation is placed between the sheathing bars with the foil layer facing up and secured together with foil tape. The thermal insulator must completely cover the sheathing bars.

• A leak-proof, well-fitted, finished wooden flooring is laid on top at an angle.

Another insulation option for wooden and concrete floors

In addition to those presented above, there are a very large number of different options for insulating the bathhouse floor. You can briefly talk about another possible method of arranging a floor using polystyrene foam. The method is more labor-intensive, but is suitable for both concrete and wooden coverings.

1 - soil;

2- layer of sand;

3 - foam plastic boards;

4 - cement mortar with foam chips;

5 - waterproofing layer;

6 - cement mortar with vermiculite;

7 - concrete screed;

9 - boardwalk.

• In this option, the space under the future floor will have to be deepened by 500 ÷ 600 mm, and the soil at its bottom will have to be compacted well.
• Then, a layer of sand 50 ÷ 70 mm thick is poured onto the bottom, which is wetted and compacted with a hand tamper.
• A dense waterproofing film is laid on top of this layer, which should completely cover the bottom and extend 200-300 mm onto the walls. It must be securely fastened to its walls.
• Instead of expanded clay, which was used in the first versions, a layer of expanded polystyrene boards is laid on the film. Its total thickness must be at least 150 ÷ ​​200 mm.
• Next, a screed made of cement mortar and foam chips in proportions of 2:1 is laid on the foam slabs. The thickness of this layer should be 50 ÷ 70 mm. This layer will not only insulate, but also strengthen the slab material laid below.
• Then a layer of waterproofing is laid again - for this you can use thick polyethylene film or roofing felt. The canvases must be fastened together with waterproof tape.
• The next layer in this “pie” is a layer of concrete with vermiculite, mixed in a 3:1 ratio. Its thickness should be 50 ÷ 100 mm. is a natural material that has high heat-insulating properties. Insects and rodents never settle in it, it is not subject to rotting and decomposition. A vermiculite layer will significantly increase the thermal insulation of the floor.

The table shows the proportions cement-vermiculite solutions and their performance characteristics:

• The hardened screed is strengthened with reinforcing mesh with cells up to 100 mm, and beacons for the upper concrete screed are placed on it. The beacons are fixed to concrete or gypsum mortar, at an angle of 5-7 degrees towards the drain.
• Next, concrete is laid out on this structure, in the same proportions and combinations with modifying additives, as described above. The thickness of the screed near the drain should be at least 50mm.
• After strengthening the screed, ceramic tiles are laid on it or removable wooden flooring for wet floors is installed.

Boards in this the floor is fixed at a distance of 15 ÷ 20 mm from each other - this will not only allow water to quickly drain from the flooring, but also allow the wood to dry out. In addition, removable ones can be periodically placed outside for ventilation and drying, so you need to foresee their size in advance so that they can easily pass through the bathhouse door.

Insulation of bath walls

It is equally important, in addition to the floor, to reliably insulate the walls and ceiling of bath rooms. The walls and ceiling of a brick or wooden bathhouse are insulated according to the same principle; the only difference between them will be the thickness of the thermal insulation layer. Since wood has a lower thermal conductivity than brick, the latter will require a thicker layer of insulation.

The process of wall insulation is carried out as follows:

• The walls are treated with an antiseptic composition - it will protect them from the appearance and spread of mold and mildew.
• Next, you need to attach a water vapor barrier film to the wall.
• The sheathing is installed.
• Insulation is placed between the sheathing guides.
• Vapor barrier is attached.
• The counter-lattice slats are nailed down - this will create the necessary ventilation gap.
• The facing material is installed.

The sequence of work is general, but walls made of different materials have their own characteristics.

Brick walls

• Sheathing bars are fixed to the brick wall in increments of 600 mm. The cross-sectional size of the timber must be equal to the thickness of the selected insulation. Usually, for a brick wall, slag wool in mats 100 mm thick is used for insulation, which means that the thickness of the sheathing guides should be 100 mm.

• Insulation is placed between the bars in the spacer. You can help fix it with a stretched zigzag nylon cord.
• The next layer is a water vapor barrier film, which is secured to the sheathing bars. Overlaps between the canvases (at least 150 mm) are glued with waterproof tape.
• Next, counter battens are nailed to the bars.
• Then foil insulation, 8 ÷ 10 mm thick, is stretched over the entire surface and attached to the slats. The joints are sealed with foil tape.

• On top, the entire “pie” is sheathed with wooden clapboard, which is secured to the same counter-lattice slats.

It should be noted that if foil insulation is used in the insulation process, then the additional layer of vapor barrier can be eliminated, since this type of insulation material perfectly retains steam.

Insulation of a log wall

1 - log wall;

2 - basalt insulation with foil surface;

3 - sheathing bars;

4 - lining;

5 - ventilation gap between the insulation and the lining.

The walls of a log bathhouse themselves have low thermal conductivity and retain heat well inside the room, provided that the joints of the logs at the corners and between each other are well sealed. Therefore, insulation is carried out as follows:

• Basalt mineral wool with a foil layer is fixed to the wall, which should face the room. The thickness of the insulation is selected from 50 to 80 mm. It can be secured with special fasteners with wide caps - “fungi”, which are recessed into the insulation.
• Wooden sheathing bars are nailed vertically or horizontally on top of the insulation.
• Next, the wall is sheathed, having a thickness of 10 mm - it is attached to the sheathing bars.

Insulation of timber walls

A wall made of timber should be, just like a log wall, well insulated by itself, that is, all cracks and gaps are caulked with tow. It is easier to attach all the components of the insulation “pie” to it, since it has a flat surface into which fasteners can be easily screwed or hammered. Its insulation occurs in the following sequence:

• A sheathing made of timber is attached to the wall, at a distance of guides from each other of 600 mm.
• Next, insulation material is laid between the bars - it is better if it is mineral wool.
• Then the entire structure is covered with rolled foil insulation, which is fixed to the sheathing bars, and the joints of the individual panels are glued together with foil tape.
• Counter slats are nailed on top of the bars, which will create a ventilation gap between the insulation and the lining.
• At the end of the process, the insulating “pie” is lined with clapboard.

It must be said that there are other options for laying insulation layers, but the ones given above are considered the most popular and frequently used, since they are completely uncomplicated and have long been tested in practice.

Ceiling insulation

The ceiling can be mounted and insulated in three ways - you can choose any of them if it is suitable for the existing structure of the bathhouse.

Panel ceiling

This ceiling is mounted from panels, which already consist of all the layers necessary for vapor barrier, insulation and internal cladding, mounted on support bars. Mineral wool with a thickness of at least 100 mm is most often used as insulation in the panels.

The shields are mounted at the bottom and rise up in finished form. The peculiarity of such insulation is that insulation gaskets must also be laid between the finished panels - this process is carried out after the panels are fixed to the bathhouse ceiling.

Lifting the panels upward can be complicated by the fact that when assembled they have quite a lot of weight, so very often they are lifted in parts and assembled at a height.

false ceiling

A false ceiling is fundamentally different in design from a panel ceiling, since its installation follows a different principle, somewhat similar to wall insulation.

• The frame for such a ceiling is the attic floor beams, laid in increments of 600 mm.
• On the side of the attic, waterproofing is laid on the floor beams, which should cover the entire ceiling area.
• A wooden flooring is fixed to the waterproofing, also from the attic side.
• Insulation is placed between the floor beams.

• Then the insulation is covered with a vapor barrier or foil material, which is fixed to the floor beams.
• The last stage is covering the ceiling with wooden paneling.

There is another option for insulating a false ceiling, using other insulating materials, for example, expanded clay. In this case, almost all the work is done from the attic side, except for the finishing of the ceiling surface with clapboard.

Flat ceiling

The floor ceiling also differs from the two already mentioned in its design, in particular - in that it is laid directly on the walls of the room, that is, in principle it does not rest on the floor beams. For such a ceiling, boards with a thickness of at least 30 mm are used.

From the attic side, a vapor barrier and insulation are laid on the boards, which are covered with a waterproofing film and plywood or plank flooring.

The advantages of this design include the speed and ease of installation, but this ceiling option can only be used when insulating a small bathhouse room, with distances between walls of no more than 2.5 ÷ 2.7 m.

A detailed publication with a description of all the materials required for this and step-by-step instructions can be found on the pages of our portal by following the recommended link.

If the installation of thermal insulation and auxiliary materials is carried out correctly, the heat in the bath rooms will be retained for a very long time, which will help to significantly save on fuel.

In conclusion - a detailed video tutorial on insulating a bathhouse built using frame technology.

Video: insulation and finishing of a frame bath )

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Insulation from the inside is an inevitable event for most types of baths. It allows you to spend less fuel, warm up the steam room faster and better. Properly done insulation protects the walls of the bathhouse from fungus and rotting, and extends its service life. In this article we will select inexpensive and safe types of thermal insulation depending on the material of the bathhouse walls, and consider how to install them correctly.

• Insulation of bathhouse walls from the inside: selecting insulation;
• Insulating a bathhouse from the inside with your own hands: from the ceiling to the floor;
• Do-it-yourself insulation of a brick bath from the inside;
• Insulation of a bathhouse made of blocks from the inside
• Insulating a wooden bath from the inside

Insulation of a bathhouse from the inside: materials

Different rooms in the bathhouse have different requirements; we will focus on the steam room and wash room, the features of which are high temperature and high humidity. Also, the insulation is selected depending on the material of the bath walls.

But, regardless of the material of the walls and the purpose of the room, the insulation must be:

• Non-toxic so as not to cause poisoning when exposed to high temperature;
• Not hygroscopic, so as not to absorb moisture;
• Resistant to high temperatures and steam;
• Non-flammable;
• Maintaining its shape even after several years of extreme use;
• Resistant to fungi and mold;
• Sold at a reasonable price.

Bath insulation

Insulation	In what room is it used?	Note
Natural materials: rolled jute, felt, insulation made from reeds and sawdust, moss, tow, etc.	Dressing room, rest room.	Natural materials ignite at high temperatures, so they are not suitable for steam rooms and washrooms. But materials made from jute and flax are the best inter-crown insulation for a chopped bath. There are excellent modern roll insulation materials made from natural materials, but they are very expensive, so they are practically not used for insulating baths.
Mineral insulation.	They can insulate any bathhouse. Most often, slab insulation boards (mats) that are easy to install are used.	They do not rot, last up to 30 years, are fire resistant, and inexpensive. Most Russian baths are insulated with these materials.
Polymer materials	FORUMHOUSE craftsmen do not recommend it for insulating a steam room.	Polystyrene foam is an excellent heat insulator, but it is flammable, and at high temperatures it releases substances harmful to humans. You cannot use polystyrene foam in the steam room.. Extruded polystyrene foam or penoplex is considered a safe material (it is used to insulate the bathhouse of Russian polar explorers in Antarctica). But FORUMHOUSE experts do not recommend using this material in a steam room.
Insulation based on aluminum foil.	It is used in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations for a specific room.	The principle of operation of such insulation is the effect of a thermos, the reflection of heat from the walls and ceiling due to foil. Some types of foil insulation are produced specifically for steam rooms and other rooms with high temperatures, while others begin to release harmful substances when the temperature rises. Foil in the bathhouse is used as a vapor barrier.

Insulation of the bathhouse ceiling from the inside

The bathhouse is insulated from the inside in the following order: ceiling - walls - floor. The main part of the heat in the bathhouse is lost through the ceiling, so

The thickness of the ceiling insulation is twice the thickness of the wall insulation and is at least 10 cm.

Nomad

We hang at least 10 cm of insulation under the black ceiling. I really don’t recommend basalt wool, glass wool and polystyrene foam in the steam room. The insulation can be hung with lacing. Then foil, gap along the slats and lining.

Regardless of the material of the walls of the bathhouse, the ceiling is insulated in the same way.

When insulating ceilings, foil is mandatory.

Insulation of a frame bath from the inside

To insulate a frame bath, rolled mineral insulation is most often used.

The thickness of the insulation depends on the type of operation of the bathhouse: if you plan to heat it only in the summer, a layer of 5 cm is enough; if you plan to heat the bathhouse all year round, the insulation layer should be 10-15 cm (depending on the climate zone).

To insulate the walls of a frame bath from the inside:

• Insulation is placed in the interbeam space of the structure;
• The next layer is vapor barrier (foil);
• Ventilation gap;
• Sheathing.

The photographs below show how KochevniK insulated his frame bathhouse. Insulation – basalt wool.

Insulating a bathhouse from the inside with your own hands: step-by-step instructions.

Foil acts as a vapor barrier, so it is important that there are no even the slightest holes or damage in it, and that all joints are well taped with high-quality tape. The tape is always sold together with foil, and its quality must be checked in the store (glue the tape to the foil and try to tear it off).

Insulating a bathhouse from the inside with your own hands: log house

Insulating a chopped and well-caulked bathhouse from the inside would be a tragic mistake. This is not only pointless and destructive for the walls, it contradicts the very idea of ​​a chopped bathhouse.

Log houses for baths are made for two reasons:

1. To get a classic Russian steam bath, which takes a long time to heat and maintains the required level of heat and humidity for a long time. It is the tree that accumulates heat and moisture and gradually “gives it away”. In this case, the inside of the bathhouse cannot be lined; You will also have to come to terms with the high consumption of firewood.
2. For the image. No bathhouse looks as cool in appearance as a chopped one. But I often don’t want to waste time and firewood; I want the bathhouse to be heated in an hour, so insulation, vapor barrier and clapboard cladding are done. The log house works only as an external frame; the meaning of the material is lost. In this case, it is cheaper and more correct to build a frame bathhouse.

It happens that a person gets a ready-made bathhouse from a log house, and for various reasons it can be cold. Such a bathhouse can be insulated, but only from the outside.

The pie looks like this:

• insulation;
• wind protection;
• vertical sheathing to create a ventilation gap;
• outer skin.

And you can put foil on the inside and line it with clapboard, not forgetting about the ventilation gap.

• We put foil on the beam and fasten it with a construction stapler;
• We seal ALL joints with foil tape;
• We fill the vertical slats with a thickness of 1-2 cm;
• We fill the lining horizontally, leaving gaps at the top and bottom for air circulation.

In a chopped bathhouse, only the floor and ceiling are insulated!

If the ceiling of a chopped bathhouse is made of thick boards, it is not necessary to use insulation, but then the following is poured onto the ceiling in a cold attic:

• ash;
• sand;
• expanded clay (it is preferable that the granules be of different sizes);
• clay coating.

Insulation from the inside of a brick bath

Brick is not the most suitable material for building a bathhouse, but if there is a brick factory somewhere nearby, then brick bathhouses begin to grow like mushrooms. Due to the high thermal conductivity of brick, such a bathhouse requires insulation without fail. Insulation is carried out only from the inside, and to make the bathhouse look cool from the outside, decorative jointing is done.

Typically, the pie of an insulated wall of a brick bath looks like this:

• brickwork;
• waterproofing,
• insulation;
• vapor barrier;
• sheathing

Waterproofing between the brickwork and the insulation is optional: if the walls are built correctly and waterproofed from the foundation, they will not become damp. If there is no confidence in the walls, then it is better to do waterproofing.

The insulation on the brick walls of the bathhouse is attached to the frame.

S4sha FORUMHOUSE Member

We build a frame on the wall from 100x40 timber with insulation width increments, fill it with insulation, lay a vapor barrier, sew on 20mm slats and cover it with clapboard.

Our user S4sha’s bathhouse is made of half a brick, but it steams just fine even at -30. Its walls are insulated like this:

• mineral wool;
• vapor barrier (in the steam room - foil);
• ventilation gap;
• lining.

Insulation thickness – 50 mm.

Insulation of a bathhouse made of blocks from the inside

For the construction of a bathhouse, durable and moisture-resistant blocks of expanded clay concrete are preferred. The insulation of such a bathhouse is thought out at the stage of its construction. The most important thing here is to remove the icy mass of concrete from the heating circuit. There is a technology promoted by our user ZYBY, which allows you to solve this problem by constructing a frame-wall from boards with an indentation from the walls of the bathhouse. It is suitable for insulating all baths with stone walls.

To ventilate and dry the space between the frame and the walls, several vents are made in the walls of the bathhouse, at the top and at the bottom outside. The vents are closed while people are steaming in the bathhouse; the rest of the time they are open for drying.

Insulation cake for steam rooms and washing rooms using this technology:

• concrete wall with vents;
• insulation on the frame-wall (with an indentation from the concrete wall);
• frame-wall;
• foil;
• finishing with 50th unedged board (aspen, linden or cedar) to get solid wood in the steam room.

With this approach, there is no need to heat the ice walls. And the insulation will dry out between steaming sessions.

But many owners of a block bathhouse insulate it from the inside traditionally:

• concrete wall;
• insulation (attached to the frame);
• foil;
• ventilation gap;
• lining.

Insulation of a bathhouse made of expanded clay concrete blocks from the inside.

Such a bathhouse needs insulation from the outside as well.

Bathroom floor insulation

Precious bath heat also escapes through the floor, so it also needs to be insulated. To insulate the floor in a bathhouse, it is recommended to use expanded clay as the lightest and most environmentally friendly material.

Expanded clay is poured between layers of concrete floor as follows:

• pour the first layer of concrete;
• wait until it hardens completely;
• expanded clay is poured (layer thickness - 10 cm);
• install reinforced grating.
• pour a layer of concrete;
• make a cement-sand screed.

Summarizing

A good bath is a warm bath. And in order for it to warm up well to the required temperature, it is necessary to choose the right thermal insulation and insulate all structural elements.

The bathhouse is also insulated from the inside:

• Windows, doors and all openings - with natural sealants;
• The outer door is made from good natural materials.

At FORUMHOUSE the issues are examined in detail and discussed separately. Find out how to do it right outside. Read our article about. Meet our users and find the answer to any question. Watch our video on how to build a full-fledged bath complex.

In order for the bathhouse to delight you with warmth, absence of drafts and dampness, it is necessary to properly insulate the walls, floor and ceiling. You also need to know which insulation is best used for external or internal work.

Basic requirements for material for bath insulation.

1. Moisture resistance.
2. Fire resistance.
3. High vapor barrier.
4. Rot resistant.
5. Resistant to deformation due to sudden changes in temperature.

Materials that can be used for interior and exterior work are divided into three types.

Insulation materials can also be divided by composition and filling.

When insulating a bathhouse, it is necessary to cover all planes of the room with insulation: floor, walls and ceiling. Only in this case there will be no heat leaks and water treatments will be as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

Insulating a bathhouse should start from the floor. As a rule, in rooms with high humidity it is practiced to install two types of floors: leaking and solid. Solid structures are complemented by a central drain, while leaking ones are equipped with a sheathing under which water flows into a drain mounted below the finished floor level.

The floor under the wooden sheathing, through which the water drains, resembles a multi-layered sandwich made of various materials. All materials for insulation must be installed sequentially.

Step 1

To install leaky floors with insulation, you need to dig a hole 60 cm deep. The dimensions of the hole must match the perimeter of the washing room or steam room.

Step 2

The bottom of the pit should be smooth and dry. You need to pour a sand cushion at the bottom and compact it thoroughly. Pillow height – 5-6 cm.

Step 3

Foam boards are laid on top of the sand. The material must be at least 20 cm wide. The joints of the plates must be carefully adjusted to each other, there should be no gaps left.

Step 4

A solution consisting of a mixture of cement and finely crushed foam plastic, 50-60 mm thick, is poured on top of the slabs. The solution must dry.

Step 5

A waterproofing material is laid on top of the concrete screed; ordinary roofing felt can be used. The edges of the roofing felt should overlap the walls.

Step 6

A cement screed is poured onto the roofing material, to which vermiculite is added 1 to 1. The thickness of the screed is 50 mm.

Step 7

Reinforcement. For these purposes, a reinforcing mesh is laid on the screed.

Step 8

A concrete screed is again poured over the mesh, to which fine crushed stone is added, the recommended layer thickness is 50 mm.

Step 9

Installation of posts to support a wooden floor.

Step 10

Flooring with technical gaps through which water will escape.

Important: the installation of the drain pipe must be carried out before insulation begins. The last layer of screed should be poured at a slight slope towards the drain so that water does not accumulate on the concrete floor.

Insulation of solid floors in a bathhouse is carried out in the same way as in residential buildings.

It is best to lay insulation during construction work. It is optimal to build a double floor structure: rough and finishing.

The insulation material that is most suitable in terms of technical characteristics and price, for example, mineral wool, is located between the finishing and rough layers of boards. It is recommended to lay a waterproofing material on top, which will prevent the insulation from getting wet.

It is important to know! It is best to lay ceramic tiles that are resistant to high humidity in the washing room.

Internal insulation of walls in bathhouses built from various materials

Brick baths are insulated during construction. You can use both bulk and material in the form of slabs. Bulk insulation, such as expanded clay, is covered in layers, between which lime mortar is poured. Layer-by-layer filling reduces the thermal conductivity of walls by filling voids with mortar.

The insulation in the form of slabs is attached to the walls using special fittings. It is recommended to additionally install a vapor barrier on top of the slabs, protecting the insulation from moisture and high temperatures.

Panel and frame baths are insulated using lightweight materials that do not create additional load on the frame. Polystyrene foam, expanded polystyrene, reed or fiberboard slabs are the best insulation materials for frame structures. The material is attached to the walls; there should be no gaps between the plates. A vapor barrier layer must be installed on top of the insulation, which prevents the absorption of moisture by the slabs.

For insulating walls and ceilings made of natural wood, the most successful option is glass wool mats or mineral slabs.

Also in particular demand are slabs with a one-sided layer of foil - Isover, Ursa - these materials perform two functions at once: they are a vapor barrier and insulation.

In regions with cold climates, it is practiced to use several types of insulation materials at once, which helps to minimize heat loss.

For internal insulation of a timber bath, the following materials and tools are required:

• insulation in the form of plates;
• vapor barrier film or isover;
• construction tape;
• beams with a section of 50 by 50 mm for a double frame;
• lining for finishing walls;
• self-tapping screws;
• screwdriver;
• hammer.

Step 1

Assembling a frame from timber. Mats with insulation will be attached inside the frame. The recommended lathing pitch is 50 by 50 cm. The beams are screwed to the log walls and ceiling of the bathhouse with self-tapping screws.

Step 2

Placing insulation inside the frame. The slabs must fit tightly to the beams. It is important that the thickness of the insulation is no more than 5 cm.

Step 3

All plates placed inside the frame must be secured. For walls, wide construction tape is best suited for these purposes. All joints between the timber and the insulation are sealed with adhesive tape. To attach the slabs to the ceiling, you need to purchase plastic disc-type dowels. It is also recommended to seal the seams with tape.

Step 4

An isover or other vapor barrier with foil is mounted on top of the main insulation.

Step 5

A sheathing of timber is placed on top of the isover. The second sheathing will perform 2 functions: provide an air gap and serve as a frame for attaching the lining.

Step 6

Fastening the lining.

Video - Methods of insulating a bathhouse from the inside

It is recommended to install insulation material from the street side on the bathhouse walls in several cases: if the air temperature in winter is constantly below 20 degrees (regions with a cold climate) or if the bathhouse room is connected to the heating system of the house. It is also recommended to additionally insulate structures that are built from blocks or bricks.

Attaching insulation to the walls of a bathhouse made of logs or beams is considered impractical, especially in regions with a temperate and warm climate, but it is imperative to seal all cracks and joints between wooden crowns and beams. For these purposes, felt, jute ropes, moss or special silicone sealants are used.

Bricks and blocks are affordable building materials, so they are often used to build baths.

The thermal conductivity of bricks and blocks is quite high, due to which they do not retain heat well. Accordingly, in bathhouses built from these materials, it is recommended to carry out double insulation: outside and inside.

Step 1

Fastening the frame. For the frame you can use a wooden beam or a metal profile. The frame is attached to anchors.

Step 2

Insulation is placed between the frame lathing: mineral wool, polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene.

Step 3

All joints between the insulation and the frame are sealed with reinforcing tape.

Ideally, two layers of insulation are required. The second layer of material should overlap the seams of the first. In this way, heat loss is absolutely minimized and drafts in the washing room and steam room are prevented. But this method is not popular due to the additional costs of material.

Step 4

Installation of waterproofing film. Moisture- and windproof protection is attached on top of the insulation.

Step 5

Planks or special brackets are placed on top of the film. The finishing finishing material is attached to them: siding or lining. It is necessary to leave a technical gap (5-6 cm) between the film and the finishing for air circulation. The air cushion will prevent the accumulation of condensation and the appearance of mold on the inside of the finishing material.

A properly insulated bathhouse retains heat well for a long time. With the correct selection and consistent fastening of all materials, there are no drafts, dampness or unpleasant odors in the premises.

Video - Expanded polystyrene. Advantages and disadvantages.

All the benefits of a bathhouse may be unattainable if, at the stage of its finishing, the issue of internal insulation has not been worked out thoroughly enough. Even with proper construction according to a time-tested design, the walls of a bathhouse without additional thermal insulation will not be able to adequately retain heat. This means a decrease in comfort during bathing procedures and an increase in the cost of kindling. Meanwhile, there are many options how to ensure that unacceptable heat losses are avoided.

What is the best way to insulate a bathhouse from the inside?

What materials should be used for internal insulation of a bathhouse? For the longest time in the practice of building baths they have been using natural materials, which were available throughout the history of the existence of such structures. Our ancestors often insulated the internal surfaces of bathhouse walls with improvised materials: hemp hemp, flax tow, moss, etc. All of the above are still used today, because... natural materials have a very significant advantage over other thermal insulation: they are absolutely environmentally friendly.

However, natural insulation materials have some features that significantly reduce their attractiveness. Firstly, the process of finishing a bathhouse with natural thermal insulation is a very, very labor-intensive process. Even with all the simplicity of the technology, caulking a bathhouse with moss or tow will take an excessive amount of time.

Secondly, natural materials are attractive not only to the owner of the bathhouse. Birds and small rodents love to take them away for their own needs, and insects can easily live in the moss layer, which also does not contribute to the durability of the material. Therefore, the insulation of a bathhouse made from natural materials requires regular updating.

More modern synthetic materials completely devoid of these disadvantages. While no less environmentally friendly, they have a much longer service life, and in terms of thermal insulation parameters they even surpass natural alternatives.

In addition, synthetic materials are not at all afraid of exposure to moisture and the high temperatures characteristic of a bath, they are lightweight and have a simple technology for working with them.

Among the synthetic thermal insulation materials suitable for interior decoration of baths, most widespread expanded polystyrene, basalt fiber, mineral wool and glass wool. When deciding how and what is the best way to insulate a bathhouse inside, you need to understand that, despite the same purpose, each of these materials also has some differences.

1. Expanded polystyrene. Its main feature is a successful combination of excellent thermal insulation, low cost and low weight. However, in relation to a bathhouse, this material can only be used to insulate the external walls of the dressing room. In the washing room, due to high temperatures, polystyrene foam can lose its shape, thereby compromising the thermal insulation. It is generally unacceptable to use this material to insulate a steam room, since it is a fire hazard.
2. Insulation made from basalt fibers They cannot boast of a pleasant price tag, but in relation to a bathhouse they can be an ideal solution. Since basalt fiber is made from molten rocks, it has some important features:

• absolute non-flammability;
• resistance to mechanical deformation and moisture;
• excellent level of sound absorption;
• excellent thermal insulation.

Basalt insulation is quite convenient for finishing, since it can be easily cut into pieces of the required shape. Their service life, which can reach several decades, is also noteworthy.

Mineral wool. The technology of its production is in many ways similar to the production of basalt insulation. However, instead of rock, much cheaper waste from the metallurgical industry is used in the production of mineral wool. And this has the most positive effect on the cost of such thermal insulation.

Other advantages of mineral wool include the following:

• low thermal conductivity (guarantee of reliable thermal insulation);
• hydrophobicity, allowing the use of mineral wool in conditions of high humidity;
• ability to absorb sound.

Meanwhile, mineral wool, due to the characteristics of the raw materials for its production, is not characterized by mechanical strength. Therefore, it is advisable to exercise some caution when working with such material.

Video about how to properly insulate a bathhouse from the inside.

Glass wool. At its core, this heat-insulating material is an interweaving of thin fibers made of inorganic glass. Therefore, glass wool contains a significant amount of air in its volume, which ensures the ability to perfectly retain heat with good vapor permeability.

One of the significant advantages of glass wool over analogues is its relatively low cost. At the same time, it is always possible to select the insulation of the required thickness. Both glass wool rolls of different widths and industrially cut mats and slabs are available for sale.

And in this photo is one of the schemes for insulating a bathhouse from the inside.

Insulation of a bathhouse from the inside

A feature of the insulation of internal walls in a bathhouse is the high level of humidity. Therefore, even if moisture-insensitive thermal insulation is selected, insulation will be required cover securely with a layer of vapor barrier. If this is not done, moisture will begin to condense inside the insulating material, which can lead to a decrease in the ability to retain heat and the possibility of rotting of the wall material.

Aluminum foil can be used as a vapor barrier for baths, which not only protects the insulation from condensation, but also largely reflects heat. To ensure the integrity of the vapor barrier, all seams between the sheets of foil should be taped with metallized tape.

Since the conditions in the bathhouse in different rooms differ significantly, the insulation technology will vary significantly.

1. Insulation of walls in the steam room.

Here the sequence of actions will be as follows:

• a lathing made of dry wooden beams or slats is hung on the surface of the walls;
• the cells formed by the lathing slats are covered with fiberglass cloth;
• heat-insulating material is laid (basalt is best);
• A layer of vapor barrier is laid on top of everything.

The final stage of insulating the walls in the steam room will be the installation of decorative finishing. As such, it is best to use wooden lining.

Another video about insulating a bathhouse from the inside and how to line a steam room inside.

Ceiling insulation.

This operation is in many ways similar to improving the thermal insulation of walls. The differences will be that when insulating the ceiling in the washing room and in the dressing room, you can refuse to use aluminum foil as a vapor barrier. Instead, it is quite possible to use cheaper polyethylene or kraft paper.

In addition, it is worth leaving a gap of 1-2 cm between the vapor barrier layer and the decorative ceiling cladding. This distance will improve the ventilation of the cladding material to speed up its drying. This point is quite important, since during bathing procedures the ceiling lining is exposed to the destructive effects of moisture at very high temperatures. The presence of a gap will allow the wood not to rot, but to dry out without deteriorating its performance and aesthetic qualities.

Floor insulation.

Heat loss in a bathhouse can occur not only through the walls or ceiling, but also through the floor, which is especially important in winter. Therefore, floors must also be carefully insulated. The sequence of actions for floor insulation will be as follows:

• a concrete screed is poured onto the leveled and compacted base of the earthen floor;
• after the screed has hardened, a layer of waterproofing made of dense polyethylene or roofing felt is lined;
• sheets or fabrics of insulation are laid;
• another layer of waterproofing is lined;
• another layer of concrete screed is poured.

Since the floors in the bathhouse are constantly in contact with water, when insulating them, careful installation of the waterproofing should be given the greatest possible attention.

It is very important that water, even with minor damage to the top layer of the concrete screed, cannot penetrate the insulation layer and thereby deprive it of its heat-insulating qualities.

Having solved the problem of how to properly insulate a bathhouse from the inside, you can get a guarantee that it will be possible to quickly warm up all the rooms even in severe frosts. The bathing event itself will become much more comfortable, since the temperature will be consistently high.

This is especially important for those who like to take a deep steam bath, since if the thermal insulation of the steam room is insufficient, the procedure will lose its attractiveness. By using modern insulating materials, you can get rid of such problems forever.

Unlike the equipment of residential premises in spa areas, internal and external energy-saving cladding play completely different roles. The relevance of external thermal insulation of bathhouse walls depends, first of all, on the mode of its operation. In most cases, the procedure is not mandatory and requires a feasibility study. This review examines the insulation of a bathhouse from the outside with your own hands from an organizational and technological point of view.

If the owner expects occasional use of the object for its intended purpose (no more than once a week), he expects the steam room to completely cool down between sessions. That is, internal insulation is arranged based on rapid heating with a rise in temperature from the street temperature to 60 ° C - 90 ° C. In this case, installing thermal insulation on the street side does not make sense: in winter, this measure will not save the building from freezing for 3-4 days. The cooling of the room will slow down, but in the end, almost as much energy will need to be spent on each heating as in the absence of external insulation.

When using a steam room every 2 - 3 days, the question is “how to cover the outside of the bathhouse?” is no longer idle for materials with high heat capacity (brick, concrete). Daily use (for example, for commercial purposes) makes it advisable to cover the bathhouse with insulating materials on both sides, regardless of the type of load-bearing walls.

Another option for using a bathhouse that justifies double-sided insulation, regardless of the heat capacity and vapor permeability of the rough walls, is to conduct several paired sessions within one day. At the same time, the bathing day itself may not be repeated often.

Sealing bathhouse-log house joints

It should be noted right away: the insulation of a wooden bathhouse from the street side consists, as a rule, not in the installation of additional layers, but in sealing the inter-crown joints. This operation does not relate to external insulation, but to providing the main thermal insulation, the role of which is played by the structural material. However, if the owner of a log bathhouse has enough time, he can easily caulk it efficiently on his own.

External insulation with jute rope

Seals placed at the joints of logs act as hydrophobic elements and a wind barrier. They eliminate heat transfer by convection and, at the same time, are decorative elements that emphasize the aesthetics of a log structure. Specialists involved in the arrangement of log houses recommend using jute cord for external sealing.

In some cases, it is permissible to caulk the outside of a wooden bathhouse using latex or rubber-based sealants. However, this is only permissible in those baths that do not have interior decoration. The condition is associated with the prevention of moisture condensation between the wall beams, which can be provoked by the combined use of internal insulation and external vapor-tight sealing.

Continuous external thermal insulation depending on the material of the load-bearing walls

How to insulate a bathhouse from the outside if it is not intended to seal the joints, but rather to install a thermal insulating lining? Let's look at the types of load-bearing walls:

Before insulating a bathhouse, it is necessary to correctly calculate the thickness of the insulation layer

• Brickwork or concrete structure. The types are combined into one category because they relate to inertial buildings with high heat capacity and high permissible moisture accumulation.

methods and features of insulation of a brick bath

• Foam concrete and gas blocks. They occupy an intermediate position between log houses and brick baths.
• Log house Requires strict consideration of the relative vapor permeability of each layer of the insulating sandwich.

Brick or concrete walls

Of the two methods for selecting insulation relative to the structural material, it makes sense to use the dew point shift method. What does this mean? A thermal insulator with vapor permeability close to zero (for example, polystyrene foam) is taken and glued to the rough wall. The internal insulation also contains a vapor-impenetrable layer - a foil infrared screen. It turns out that the moisture condensing in the thickness of concrete or brick has nowhere to evaporate.

To prevent overmoistening, it is necessary to ensure that the dew point is located outside the rough wall - in polystyrene foam. To do this, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the external insulation to approximately a wall thermal resistance value of 4.0 - 5.0.

In central Russia, this corresponds to a thickness of EPPS slabs of 200 mm.

The material will cost a decent amount, but the work budget will be less than when implementing ventilated facade technology (with mineral wool, an air gap and molded finishing cladding). In addition, self-pasting walls with EPS boards is much more affordable for a non-professional than any other methods of external thermal insulation. For everyday use of such a steam room, only the reflective screen and clapboard lining should be left in the internal lining. For the regime of paired sessions 2 - 3 times a week, it makes sense to divide the calculated thickness of the insulation into 2 layers: 150 mm for the outer surface and 50 mm for the inner lining.

The choice of finishing on the street side should be correlated only with budget, the possibility of independent implementation and personal aesthetic preferences. From the point of view of the operation of an insulating sandwich, the physical properties of this layer are absolutely unimportant. If you don’t want to mess with plaster, you can decorate the bathhouse with any relatively light slabs or panels that are moisture resistant. The main thing is not to use chemicals that can destroy polystyrene foam.

Foam concrete and aerated blocks

Insulation of a bathhouse from the outside with polystyrene foam

How to sheathe a bathhouse built from cellular materials? To carry out the work yourself, you should stick to the same polystyrene foam.

The only difference with the previous version of the bathhouse will be that the thermal calculation will require a smaller thickness of the EPS layer (120 - 150 mm), all other things being equal - climate, thickness of the masonry and a given value of the heat transfer resistance of the wall sandwich.

Log house

This idea may look strange, but sometimes a log house needs a “fur coat.” Especially if we are talking about refurbishment of a bathhouse with a change in the purpose of the object (for example, from personal to commercial). The only insulation whose vapor permeability is higher than that of wood is mineral wool. However, the disadvantage of this idea is associated with the high labor intensity of the work. You will need:

1. Stuff horizontal slats to form sheathing.
2. Lay rolled or slab mineral wool.
3. Hang the windproof membrane, securing it to the sheathing with a stapler.
4. Install vertical counter-lattice slats that form a ventilation gap and serve for installation of the finishing coating (for example, wooden or plastic lining).
5. Lay a high-diffusion membrane (water barrier) along the vertical slats.
6. Install decorative covering.

Myths about the purposes and results of external insulation

You can often find the following statements in informational texts and forums:

• “A brick bathhouse must be insulated from the outside. Otherwise, heating it to the required temperature will be problematic.” Note: the speed of heating a steam room depends to a much greater extent on the proper arrangement of internal insulation.
• “For polystyrene foam, it is best to use the “wet facade” finishing system so that the wall “breathes.” Note: EPS boards have practically zero vapor permeability, which cannot be increased by any coatings.
• “You can buy foam glass granulate relatively cheaply and use it as a filler for heat-saving cladding blocks.” Note: such granulate, both in the form of backfill and as the basis for the formation of cellular concrete, is an order of magnitude inferior to the heat-shielding properties of block foam glass. In fact, it is no better than expanded clay.

Video: the main mistakes in external insulation of the walls of a wooden bathhouse

conclusions

If it is initially planned to insulate the outer surface of the walls, it is necessary to carry out a series of thermal calculations and coordinate the parameters of all layers - from the infrared screen of the steam room to the decorative finishing of the facade. In this case, the amounts saved on energy saving should be compared with the difference in capital costs, taking as the goal the achievement of a certain payback period.

There are no bad or good insulation materials. The temperature and humidity conditions of multilayer walls are ensured by the entire system, and not by just one insulator. Therefore, the approximate operating schedule for the steam room should determine the choice of not only the cladding, but also the structural material of the walls. The tighter the schedule, the more in demand are inertia (high heat capacity) and high permissible moisture saturation:

• for daily sessions - walls made of brick or concrete;
• 2 - 3 days a week - walls made of foam concrete, foam glass, gas blocks;
• once a week - log houses and frame baths.

Internal insulation can be selected based on the convenience of self-installation. With the outside the situation is much stricter. Several characteristics of the insulator should be coordinated with the properties of the structural material of the walls.