The technology of installing foam on the walls, ceiling and floor of the basement, the advantages and disadvantages of insulation with this material, the rules for choosing an insulator and other components of the protective coating. Basement insulation with penoplex is an option for insulating an underground room with a modern, highly effective material. With its help, a shell is created on the walls, floor and ceiling, preventing the leakage of thermal energy. Compliance with the rules of the technology of installation work ensures an acceptable temperature under the living quarters and comfortable living in the house. Information about the protective layer based on this material and the installation technology is given in the article.
Features of basement thermal insulation with penoplex
Basement insulation is an important stage in the construction of a house, which is carried out in parallel with the waterproofing of this room. A good owner will not leave without use a space of about two meters high between the ground and the first floor and will definitely do everything possible for its convenient operation.
Penoplex is ideal for refining the basement - an artificial material from the group of expanded polystyrene, which has the properties of plastic and foam. After processing the components, a homogeneous mass with a homogeneous structure is obtained, which differs from similar products by good heat-insulating and moisture-repellent properties.
Penoplex is a domestic analogue of European extruded polystyrene foam, which is produced by a Russian plant with the same name. Masters recommend purchasing the products of a domestic manufacturer, because its cost is lower than foreign samples, and the characteristics are no different.
It is advisable to carry out insulation at the initial stage of construction, when there is free access to the walls. The work becomes more complicated if carried out after long-term operation at home. To do this, it is necessary to excavate the foundation to its entire depth, which leads to the destruction of the territory closest to the house. In some cases, the walls of an underground room can be insulated from the inside - for example, if work is carried out in winter.
Penoplex consists of very small closed cells, which impart great rigidity to the material. The high strength allows the sheets to withstand the pressure from the soil in the case of outdoor use and the heavy load if they are mounted on the floor.
The material is produced in the form of sheets of various densities with dimensions of 0, 6x1, 2 m with a thickness of 3-10 cm. The ceiling can be faced with blocks of low density, and the walls and floor - more rigid. Laying of products is facilitated by the presence of protrusions and milling along the edges of the blocks.
Advantages and disadvantages of basement insulation with penoplex
Thanks to the creation of a protective shell based on foam on the partitions and the overlap of the basement, many problems can be avoided.
Advantages of basement insulation with penoplex:
- Cold air, dampness and fungus do not penetrate the living quarters from the lower room.
- Walls are not subject to freezing and thawing. The product takes the load from the frost heaving of the soil and does not transfer it to the foundation.
- The basement can be turned into an exploited space.
- The material absorbs moisture poorly. It does not allow groundwater to reach the foundation. Even if the penoplex is wetted, its mass increases by only 0.4%.
- Insulation can be done at any stage of house operation.
- The insulator does not require replacement or repair for 50 years.
- Basement floors made of this material do not need to be covered with a protective layer due to the high density of the sheets.
- Despite its dense structure, the product is easy to process.
- The panels are manufactured with high precision, which ensures short installation times and the absence of cold bridges in a protective shell.
- The material does not emit toxic fumes and is safe for indoor use.
Even such a high-tech product has disadvantages:
- Penoplex is afraid of ultraviolet radiation, therefore, when used outdoors, there must be protection from sunlight.
- The high cost can be an obstacle to its acquisition by people with small incomes.
- When exposed to open fire, the product melts and emits toxic fumes.
Basement insulation technology with penoplex
Basement insulation works are carried out in several stages. First, it is necessary to prepare the surfaces and choose the right material, and then the basic operations follow. Full insulation is considered the best option for an underground room, but in order to save money, only partitions and a ceiling can be modified. In this case, the effect will be worse. More details about each stage are written below.
Penoplex selection rules
Penoplex in the basement works in extreme conditions, so it is necessary to buy only high-quality samples.
It is impossible to check the condition of the material without special equipment, but some operations allow you to determine a fake:
- Examine the structure of the heat insulator. It is difficult to see it at the ends of the sheets, because the cuts are lubricated with a cutting tool. Therefore, ask the seller for a broken piece, on which the inner contents are visible in their original form. High-quality penoplex consists of subtle cells. If the granules are large and clearly visible, the insulator is made in violation of technology. In such material there are many pores that allow warm air and water to pass through.
- If you press your finger on the damaged area and a crack is heard, then this is a sign of a fake. Sound appears when too thin walls of granules are destroyed.
- Press down on the penoplex with your finger and release. No traces of load application should remain on the surface.
- Check the information on the product packaging. The label always indicates the purpose of the insulator, date of issue, dimensions and characteristics. There must also be a barcode and a hologram.
To reduce the risk of purchasing a substandard product, shop at the manufacturer's brand stores. Purchase products sealed in a branded protective film from the manufacturer.
Penoplex blocks must have the correct geometric shape and dimensions within the tolerance. Bends, deformations and damage to the plates are not allowed.
For insulation of the walls and floors of the basement, a product labeled "Foundation" is suitable, which corresponds to the old designation "Penoplex 35" without a fire retardant. This type has increased strength and is designed for operation under load. Lower stiffness slabs can be laid on ceilings, which saves money.
Install sheets 10 cm thick inside the basement. If the room is planned to be heated, increase the insulating layer by 40-50%. The thickness of the sheets for external insulation is at least 15 cm. The panels for the floor should be of the same thickness.
For good adhesion, the surface of the panels must be rough. If it is smooth, rub over it with sandpaper.
Preparatory work
There are two ways to insulate an underground room - from the inside or outside. The main thing is the creation of a protective shell from the side of the street. Insulation of the basement from the inside with penoplex is carried out in exceptional cases due to a decrease in the size of the room and the possible appearance of condensation on the walls. There is also a danger of destruction of the foundation due to periodic freezing and defrosting of the walls.
With internal insulation, it is necessary to provide for the ventilation of the room in advance, because the partitions will not "breathe". The simplest solution to the problem is to make ventilation holes in the walls, and leave a gap for the air gap between the foam and the foundation. In this case, it is necessary to mount the frame to fix the panels in the desired position. Due to the difference in the thickness of the foam and the profiles, there are gaps through which ventilation takes place.
In the basement, the slabs are fixed with glue or with dowels with poppet heads. The choice of fixing method depends on the level of groundwater. If they are located close to the surface, there is a danger that moisture will penetrate through the walls to the penoplex, so the sheets must be fixed with hardware.
If water is found, it is necessary to find the reason for its appearance in the basement. If it seeps through the foundation, postpone work until the walls are waterproofed. It is very difficult to eliminate the penetration of water into the room from the outside without creating a protective coating outside the house. To do this, open the foundation from the outside, divert water from the house, waterproof the foundation, but in this case all sense of insulation from the inside is lost. Sometimes this issue can be solved for several houses or an entire village by building a drainage system. Another way to get rid of water in your basement is to dig a well and install a pump. Of all the options, external insulation with high-quality waterproofing of the foundation remains the most acceptable.
Trimming of panels is performed to obtain blanks of small sizes and various geometric shapes for the purpose of high-quality laying near doors, ventilation and other openings. To do this, you can use the following devices:
- Knives of any purpose heated to a high temperature. Sharpen the tool blade well for a straight cut. Remove small areas with a wide knife.
- Use a jigsaw or a fine-toothed hacksaw to cut thicker workpieces.
- If it is necessary to obtain a high quality surface, use hot nichrome wire in the cutting area.
Before gluing, perform a mock assembly of the insulation. When determining the dimensions of the panels, it must be borne in mind that they have milling. When cutting sheets, use our recommendations:
- Pieces of material less than 200 mm wide must not be used in corners, near doors and other openings.
- Place solid slabs at the tops of doorways.
- Technological cutouts in the sheets should not coincide with the corners of the opening. They must be positioned more than 200 mm apart.
- Leave a gap on the door frames at least 20 mm.
Glue preparation
Stir the adhesive solution immediately before installation, because it loses its properties after a few hours. After hardening, it is not recommended to dilute the solution with water. Low air temperature prolongs the liquid state of the substance, and when it drops to +5 degrees, it is prohibited to work.
To prepare the composition, mix cold water and dry mixture in the proportion specified in the instructions for the glue, and mix with a low-speed drill for 5 minutes. Make sure there are no lumps in the solution. After 10 minutes, stir again for 5 minutes.
When choosing an adhesive composition, use our recommendations:
- To fix the product, it is recommended to use polyurethane compounds with moisture-repellent properties. Products under the Kliberit, Knauf, Ceresit brand have proven themselves well.
- Check the composition of the glue before work. Do not buy substances in which gasoline, solvents, acetone are present - they destroy the structure of the penoplex. The material consumption for smooth walls is indicated in the instructions for the product, but always buy glue with a margin - more of it goes on uneven surfaces.
- The solidification time of the substance should not be short in order to have time to correct the position of the panels.
Protection of basement walls with penoplex
The methods of insulating the walls of the basement with penoplex from the inside and outside are very similar and differ only in the protective coating, which must be performed from the street side, and from the inside - at the request of the customer. Refinement of the walls from the inside is carried out in the following sequence:
- Clean the partitions from dirt and dust. Remove loose plaster and other loose coating. If oil stains are found, remove them with solvents or mechanically.
- Fill up gaps and protrusions. Uneven walls, with protrusions and depressions, plaster with a cement-sand mortar prepared in a ratio of 1: 4. If the base is concrete, cover it with a primer containing quartz sand. This additive will increase the adhesion of the adhesive to the partition.
- Make sure there is no mildew or mold on the surface. Clean damaged areas mechanically and then cover with antiseptic, fungicidal and bactericidal primers.
- Paint all metal parts on the wall with anti-corrosion paint.
- Waterproof the base. Bituminous mastic is well suited for this purpose. Apply with a brush and smooth thoroughly. In order not to destroy the penoplex, the mastic should not contain solvents or gasoline. After the product has solidified, you can continue the process.
- Apply a layer of glue 8-10 mm wide around the perimeter of the panel and in the middle with spots up to 10 cm2… The sheet must be at least 40% covered with the composition. Its thickness depends on the unevenness of the wall and ranges from 1, 5-2, 5 cm. Do not cover the ends of the sheets with glue.
- If the surface is plastered and perfectly flat, the mortar can be applied in a continuous layer and smoothed with a notched trowel.
- Laying is done from bottom to top. Place the sheets against the wall and press down lightly. Press the subsequent sheets against the already glued panels. Mount the upper rows so that the vertical joints do not coincide. Fill the gaps remaining between the elements with wedges that are cut out of the waste.
- Cover the outside with a decorative cover if necessary.
When fixing the foam outside the house, it is additionally fixed with dowels with wide heads. Further, the surface must be covered with an alkali-resistant mesh, again covered with glue, and then with plaster.
Penoplex insulation of the basement floor
The purpose of floor insulation is to prevent heat from leaking into the ground, even if the basement is cold.
Consider one of the options for isolating the site - on the ground:
- Level the ground indoors. Seal it if necessary and leave it to shrink for a month.
- Fill the base with coarse gravel with a layer of 10 cm, level and tamp it.
- Cover the pebbles with a layer of sand of the same thickness and also compact.
- On the prepared base, lay the waterproofing film with an overlap of 15-20 cm on adjacent pieces and on the walls. Seal the joints with reinforced tape.
- Place the foam sheets on the foil, pressing them tightly together. Seal the gaps between them with wedges made of waste material.
- Cover the insulation with a vapor barrier film with an overlap of 15-20 cm on adjacent parts and on the partitions. Seal the joints in any way.
- Place a metal mesh over the membrane.
- Fill the foil with a concrete screed with a thickness of at least 60 mm and level it horizontally.
Installation of foam in the basement on the ceiling
Floor insulation reduces the temperature difference between the floor in the living room and the air in the house. The technology for mounting material on the ceiling is not much different from the procedure for finalizing the walls of the basement from the inside.
The work is done as follows:
- Prepare the ceiling and fix the penoplex to it in the same way as to the wall.
- Fix the sheets for insurance with dowels with wide heads, which should go into the overlap by at least 6 cm. Usually 5 dowels are hammered - 4 in the corners and 1 in the middle. You can use 1 dowel to fix two sheets. To do this, it is hammered along the joints of the sheets. To speed up the process, it is allowed to use a pneumatic gun.
- Sand the surface with coarse sanding paper.
- Apply foil-clad plastic wrap to the ceiling to reflect heat into the room.
- If necessary, install decorative or protective coatings, such as drywall sheets.
How to insulate a basement with penoplex - watch the video:
Basement insulation with foam is a simple process, if you follow the installation technology and the requirements of the material manufacturer. The result will be a warm home and lower costs for home comfort.
