Features of thermal insulation works with mineral wool and its characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of this insulation, how to prepare the ceiling surface, perform basic work, install a stretch fabric as a final finish. Insulation of the ceiling with mineral wool is a reliable and affordable solution that allows you not only to make the temperature in an apartment or house more comfortable, but also increases noise insulation. In addition, this procedure prevents mold or mildew from forming on ceilings due to condensation due to temperature differences.
Features of thermal insulation of the ceiling with mineral wool
According to the standards, the class of mineral wool includes several varieties of this material: made on the basis of glass, slag, and stone wool. Each type differs from the other in the length and thickness of the fibers, as well as technical parameters.
One of the best is considered to be basalt wool, which does not contain binders. It can withstand temperatures up to 1000 degrees and is successfully used in thermal insulation works in baths and saunas.
There are several major manufacturers of mineral wool in the modern building materials market. Among them are brands such as ISOVER, Rockwoll, URSA, PAROC and others. The best are German materials, which undergo serious European certification, but they also cost an order of magnitude more. The cost of the insulation is also affected by its density. This is due to the volume of the starting material that is required for the manufacturing process.
When buying mineral wool, it will be useful to make sure whether it is produced in accordance with the requirements of GOST. Check with your dealer for exactly how the fibers of this material are located. Their vertical arrangement will indicate that such an insulator retains heat well and protects it from extraneous noise. On the other hand, the random placement of the fibers increases the strength of the cotton wool and improves its performance. There are different forms of this heat insulator on the market, which can be packaged in two main ways. The thickness of the mineral wool for ceiling insulation also affects the form of its release. Comparatively thin material (up to 50 mm) is sold in rolls, which are unwound on site and cut with a knife into the required pieces. Thicker wadding, which can reach 10 cm or more, is usually produced in the form of mats and placed on the roll.
A waterproofing layer must be present directly under the roof. If this is not done, moisture will begin to collect on the inner cold surface of the roof during the winter months. It is the waterproofing that serves as a barrier that will protect the ceiling from blackening and decay. In addition, in the gap between the roof and the waterproofing, you need to leave a space with a height of 2-3 cm, which will act as ventilation.
Insulation works can be carried out in various ways. In apartments, cotton wool is placed between the main and stretch ceilings; in private houses, thermal insulation is carried out in the attic.
There are a number of rules that will help even an inexperienced craftsman make ceiling insulation with mineral wool more effective:
- When installing several different heaters, it is advisable to arrange them in such a way that the vapor permeability increases from the bottom to the top.
- With internal insulation from the side of the room, a vapor barrier film must be laid, which will protect the mineral wool from getting wet and destroyed.
- In cold attics, the thickness of the heat insulator should be at least 300 mm. This indicator will affect not only the preservation of heat, but also the prevention of condensation.
- You should not install a vapor barrier on each side of the insulation, as this will clog the moisture inside it.
- If the plates are not fastened with an overlap, then the joints must be treated with polyurethane foam.
- When installing mineral wool, it is forbidden to tamp it, because this can provoke a decrease in the number of air bubbles inside and an automatic deterioration of the thermal insulation qualities.
Note! When working with this insulation, you must follow the precautionary rules. The composition of cotton wool contains the finest fibers that can cause itching and irritation, falling on the open skin or, even worse, in the respiratory tract. To avoid this, when insulating, you need to use thick gloves, wear protective clothing, and a respirator.
Advantages and disadvantages of ceiling insulation with mineral wool
Due to the large number of positive qualities of mineral wool on the ceiling, it is an excellent solution for residential and non-residential premises. Let's consider its advantages in more detail:
- Almost complete absence of flammability.
- Low price is one of the main advantages of this material.
- Cotton wool is classified as environmentally friendly and safe heat insulators.
- Not attractive to various domestic rodents and insects.
- It is not subject to decay and mold.
- Differs in a long warranty period of operation.
- Excellent strength combined with the ability to withstand physical stress.
The main weak point of mineral wool is considered to be its ability to lose thermal insulation characteristics due to moisture absorption. Therefore, it is extremely important to follow the rules of ceiling insulation. Otherwise, up to 40-50% of heat loss in the room is possible. Over time, the material can sag, especially in the corners, so cotton wool should be placed in the crate with a small margin.
Ceiling insulation technology with mineral wool
For those who are interested in the question of how to insulate the ceiling with mineral wool, it will be interesting to know that thermal insulation can be produced both from the attic and internally. The latter option involves the arrangement of stretch ceilings, and therefore is not entirely suitable for rooms with low walls.
Preparatory work before installing mineral wool
Surface preparation is of great importance. First of all, you need to achieve a perfectly flat ceiling. The surface for thermal insulation must be cleaned of the remnants of old finishing materials.
If there are bumps and protruding parts, they must be knocked down with a hammer and chisel. Pits, cracks and depressions can easily be found in old rooms. To close them up, just use a regular putty. If there are visible interpanel seams on the ceiling, they are cleaned and properly sealed using construction foam. If you plan to install or replace electrical wiring, then this should be done at this stage.
Differences, the value of which does not exceed 1 cm in level, can be leveled by applying two layers of putty. The first layer is used for rough leveling - no need to try to achieve a perfectly flat surface right away. After that, the ceiling is allowed to dry for about 1-2 days. The final leveling is carried out with a finely dispersed finishing putty. After that, the surface is dried and plastered with fine grain sandpaper.
To insulate the ceiling in a house with mineral wool, we need the following list of tools: a screwdriver or electric drill, a hacksaw or a saw, a screwdriver, a building level and a plumb line, a paint roller (brush), a hammer, a construction stapler, a clerical knife, a heat gun, a step ladder.
Consumables: mineral wool in rolls or mats, metal corners, self-tapping screws for wood and metal, putty, polyurethane foam, construction tape, timber or metal profile, glue or adhesive mixture, disc dowels, vapor barrier film, canvas under a stretch ceiling, baguettes fixing profiles.
Installation instructions for mineral wool
After we have carefully prepared the surface, you can start the insulation process. It represents the following sequence of actions:
- It is necessary to build a frame to cover the ceiling. For this, either a wooden beam or a metal profile is used, which is used when working with drywall. The frame is knocked down on the floor in accordance with previous measurements. The installation of the finished lathing begins with the installation of a horizontal bar, to which the vertical slats are attached. It is fixed with nails or self-tapping screws.
- The space inside the cells of the frame can be filled with heat-insulating material. Pieces of mineral wool are cut out on a table, floor or in another suitable place according to the size of each resulting cell. It is best to fix with a special adhesive mixture. It is applied with a roller or wide brush.
- As soon as the insulation clings to the ceiling, it is fixed with disc-shaped dowels ("umbrella" type). To do this, they are stuffed in the center and along the edges of each piece of material in a total of at least 5 pieces.
- Now you can start gluing the vapor barrier film. For this stage, we need a stapler, and it is advisable to overlap the layers and additionally fix them with construction tape. The polyethylene film, which plays the role of a vapor barrier, should be carefully cut into even strips, the width of which will be slightly larger than the distance between adjacent floor beams.
- After the heat-insulating structure is assembled, it is fixed by means of transverse fixation with a profile or counter-rails.
- Now you can close the crate with plastic panels, plasterboard or stretch ceiling.
If rolled insulation is used, then the method of fastening it will be somewhat different. Every 10-15 centimeters, nails must be driven into the frame, and a wire is wound on the outermost one. In the process of laying the insulation, the wire is pulled in a zigzag pattern over subsequent nails. As a result, we get a metal mesh, the task of which will be to keep the cotton wool inside.
Surface finishing
One of the most functional solutions after insulation can be considered the installation of a stretch ceiling. It is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also enables the installation of built-in lighting fixtures. The only thing that should be given priority attention is the susceptibility of such ceilings to physical damage, especially sharp objects.
The floor must be cleaned of construction debris and metal particles that can break the delicate cloth.
First, using a level, you need to measure all the corners in the room, since this will affect the joining of the profile. As soon as the zero level is determined, you can begin to fix the profile rail on the wall with dowels or self-tapping screws. As a result, we will get a room with a fixed profile along its entire perimeter.
Before installing the canvas, the room must be warmed up with a heat gun. It is necessary to ensure that the temperature in the room is around + 40 ° C. Only then can you gradually unwind the film, making sure that it is not too close to the heat source. The material is taken out of the package, remembering to take it with clean hands.
At the stage of fastening, the canvas should be heated to + 60 ° C. The installation of the tensioning web is carried out starting from the base angle in the room. After that, the corner that is opposite on the diagonal is attached. After all of them are fixed, proceed to fixing the sides. In order to fix the material on straight walls, you can use a stretched ceiling spatula. There may be seams in some places on the canvas. Such areas are evenly distributed and secured with several locks.
In the process of fixing, it is imperative to ensure that you do not create folds, wrinkles and all kinds of distortions. The oversights should be immediately eliminated, and if they became noticeable too late, you can try to smooth them out with your hand, having previously warmed up the area with a heat gun.
A technological gap will necessarily form between the ceiling and the wall, since the profile has a certain thickness. To disguise it, a special tape is sold, which is produced in various colors. It can be selected individually, to match the walls and ceiling. Installation of it does not present any special difficulties: it is simply pressed into the gap and carefully pressed with your fingers. An alternative to such a plug can be the installation of a decorative plinth. As soon as the main work with the stretch ceiling is completed, you can do the finishing touches. At this stage, spotlights are installed, if any. Decorative plugs are fixed, the main task of which is to hide the fasteners from the eyes.
If you plan to hang a chandelier on the ceiling, then you must provide a plastic ring, the outer diameter of which should be such that it is hidden under the decorative cover of the lamp. It is glued to the canvas, while the center of the ring should coincide with the point marked for fixing the chandelier.
Further, at the request of the owner, the ceilings can be painted with acrylic paint. Thus, they create the effect of clouds, waves, starry sky, etc.
Important! During all work with the heat gun, it is necessary to observe safety measures in order to avoid an explosion. To do this, you need to use only serviceable gas cylinders with a valid service life. Before starting work, it is worth checking the reliability of the connections, the integrity of the hose and the absence of gas leaks. How to insulate the ceiling with mineral wool - watch the video:
As you can see, you can master the technology of working with mineral wool on your own. If all work is done in accordance with the recommendations, you will be able to enjoy the comfort and warmth in the room for many years.
