Penofol insulation technology for floors of various designs, the pros and cons of using the product, varieties and recommendations for the use of material of different modifications. Insulation of the floor with Penofol is the use of a multifunctional material for thermal insulation of ceilings, which does not reduce the height of the room. Thanks to its two-layer structure, it can be installed in any type of room. We will talk about the scope of the product and the installation technology in our article.
Features of floor insulation work with Penofol
Penofol is a combined material made of foamed polyethylene and aluminum foil with a thickness of 4-10 mm. It prevents heat from escaping in three directions - through convection, conduction and in the infrared spectrum.
Most other insulators have only one of these properties. This means that a thin sample is able to replace significantly thicker insulation. There are several modifications of polyethylene foam, which differ in the placement of aluminum foil on one or both sides and the presence of an adhesive layer.
The scope of the material is wide enough. It does not have pores and does not allow air to pass through, therefore it is often used to insulate the floors of saunas and baths. The product copes with the insulation of concrete and wooden flooring. Penofol is also present in the structure of warm floors.
Installation of insulation is always carried out on the crate. It is necessary to create a gap above the foil. The air passing through it will remove the accumulated moisture.
In most cases, Penofol is used with other insulation materials. It interacts well with expanded polystyrene, polystyrene foam, mineral wool and other products. It is also used as an independent heat insulator.
Advantages and disadvantages of floor insulation Penofol
The material has gained wide popularity among users due to its many advantages:
- Aluminum foil does not allow moisture and steam to pass through, so the product can be laid in damp rooms, such as basements. When creating an insulating layer, no special membranes are required for waterproofing and vapor barrier.
- Penofol is multifunctional. After laying on interfloor floors, it not only retains heat, but also soundproof the apartment.
- When used together with other heaters, it enhances their heat-insulating properties. For example, in steam rooms, an aluminum layer reflects heat energy and helps maintain a high temperature.
- The material is highly environmentally friendly, does not emit fumes harmful to humans.
- The canvas is thin, after laying on the floor, the ceiling height changes by an insignificant amount. A product 4 cm thick replaces mineral wool with a layer of 10 cm. This property allows you to insulate the bases in rooms where changing the size of the flooring is unacceptable.
- The insulator is sold in rolls and is easy to lay and cut to reduce installation time.
- The product does not burn and can be used in fire hazardous areas.
- Rodents don't like him.
The material has much fewer drawbacks. It costs more than other heaters. Often Penofol alone is not enough for insulation, therefore it is used on its own only in certain cases. In order not to violate the integrity of the surface during installation, it is necessary to use adhesives for fastening to the base, which increases financial costs.
Penofol floor insulation technology
The insulator can be used to insulate surfaces made of any material. Before laying Penofol on the floor, stock up on glue to fix it to the base and reinforced tape to seal the joints. They will improve the quality of the insulating layer.
The choice of materials for floor insulation
Together with the canvas, they always buy a means for fixing it to the base and a tape, which prevents the formation of cold bridges at the joints of the material. The correct choice of components will reduce heat loss in the apartment.
Penofol on the floor is available in various designs. For insulation, rolls are used that have special letter designations:
- Type "A" - with a foil layer on one side;
- Type "B" - with a metal layer on both sides;
- Type "C" - with a foil on one side and a sticky surface on the other;
- Type "ALP" - foil coated with polyethylene.
The glue can be special and universal. In any case, he must meet the following requirements:
- There is permission to use the product indoors. The toxicity level is indicated in the certificate of conformity.
- Withstands large temperature drops.
- It has antiseptic properties.
- Does not lose its characteristics throughout the entire life of the house.
- For the best fixation, special solvents are added to the glue, and they are different for each material. If this factor is not taken into account, the substance can damage the sample.
The tool must comply with the conditions in which the insulation is used. For example, in saunas, solutions must be heat-resistant and resistant to hot steam. Before laying foil-clad Penofol on the metal floor, make sure that there is no water in the substance. The liquid can corrode the substrate and damage the product.
Adhesive tape is a metallized (aluminum) reinforced tape designed to seal and insulate surfaces. The main indicators that it should have:
- High degree of adhesion. It depends on the thickness of the adhesive layer, the minimum value is 20 microns.
- Ability to resist water, dust, bacteria.
- High strength and wear resistance.
- Maintaining characteristics for a long time in the range from -20 to +120 degrees.
Laying Penofol on a concrete base
Let's take a look at some of the ways to insulate a cold base. As a rule, for insulation of a concrete floor, the product is used together with another type of heat insulator.
Features of the work:
- Clean the concrete surface from dirt and add a layer of expanded clay.
- Prepare the cement laitance and pour the mixture over the base. The solution will set the granules and cover them with a film. Stop working for a day to solidify it. After hardening on the insulation, you can move freely.
- Fill the expanded clay with a screed and level it to the horizon.
- Roll the roll on the floor with an overlap on the wall 10-15 cm. Cut off the excess with scissors. If there is no adhesive layer on the insulator, fix it with a special agent to the base. The use of a retainer is optional, but it will not allow the insulator to move when installing the finishing coat.
- Before bonding, thoroughly clean the concrete surface, vacuum and prime. Apply the product to the entire canvas, on the side without foil. Smear the edges especially carefully.
- After applying the solution, do not touch the material for a couple of minutes so that the glue hardens a little. Lay the sheet on the concrete, flatten and hold until it locks into place.
- To insulate a concrete base, instead of expanded clay, you can use polystyrene or high-density polystyrene foam with a thickness of 5-10 cm. In this case, it is better to lay Penofol type "C" on it, which is easily fixed with a sticky layer.
- Next, put the second strip end-to-end, and glue the joint of the canvases with aluminum tape.
- Install on the base of the rail with a pitch of 35-40 cm along the entire length of the room and secure with dowels. Align the surface of the beams in a horizontal plane using a hydrostatic level. If you plan to fill the space between the beams with another insulation, for example, foam, mineral wool, their height should be 5 cm greater than the thickness of the insulator to organize a ventilated space.
- Buy bars with dimensions of 100x100 or 100x150 mm, where 150 is the width. The length of the beams should correspond to the size of the room so that you do not have to build them up. Modification of the rails negatively affects the stability and strength of the frame.
- Cover the main insulation with a second layer of Penofol with the foil side inside the room.
- Stuff 12mm planks or plywood over the joists to create a fine deck. Linoleum or laminate is suitable as a flooring.
All lumber must be treated with antiseptic agents or drying oil.
Installation of Penofol on a wooden surface
Thermal insulation of a wooden floor is usually performed in private houses. Consider two options for installation work - with the removal of the old coating and by placing the product on top of the existing flooring.
In the first case, the canvas is laid under the boards. The sequence of operations for floor insulation with Penofol is as follows:
- Remove the boards from the logs. Inspect lumber, replace rotten and damaged elements.
- Soak new ones with means of protection against insects, fungus, dampness. Place the newly installed beams in increments of 30-40 cm and fasten them to the base with anchors.
- Place shims or wedges under the deflection beams.
- Make sure that there is a gap of 1-2 cm between the beams and the walls. Check the position of the upper ends of the beams in the horizontal plane.
- Nail boards or boards to the lower surfaces of the logs to create a subfloor. If this is not possible, fix them on the cranial bars.
- If the main insulation absorbs moisture well (for example, mineral wool), put Penofol on the subfloor.
- Install thermal insulation blocks between the joists. It is advisable to lay them in several layers, with overlapping joints.
- Make sure that there are no gaps between the plates and the joists. Seal them with foam or sealant if necessary.
- Lay Penofol over the mineral wool with an overlap on adjacent sheets, on logs and on walls 10-15 cm.
- Secure the product with an industrial stapler or foil tape. Check that there is a 4 mm ventilation gap above the insulator after the finishing coat has been laid.
- After laying Penofol on the floor, fix the finishing boards or chipboard sheets to the logs, leaving 1.5 cm gaps between the lumber and the wall.
- Mount the floor covering on top.
It is allowed to lay the heat insulator on the existing wooden flooring. The insulation process is as follows:
- Before insulating the floor with Penofol, inspect the boards and replace damaged elements.
- Lay the roll marked "C" sticky side down and glue to the boards. Fix other samples to them with special glue.
- Mount the lathing on top, which will provide a gap between the foil and the finished floor.
- Fasten hardboard or chipboard with a thickness of 12 mm to the logs.
- Install the floor covering.
The use of Penofol in the "warm floor" system
The use of this material in warm floors can increase the heat transfer of the system by 15-20%.
The technique for arranging such a heating system in a room looks like this:
- Fill the floor with a concrete screed with the addition of expanded clay.
- After the cement has completely set, cover the surface with an A, C or ALP product, with the foil facing up. In this position, the heat will be reflected into the room.
- Lay the sheets end-to-end, without a gap, with an overlap of 10-15 cm on the wall, which allows you to isolate the floor from impact noise.
- Glue the joints of the canvases for waterproofing and vapor barrier with reinforced tape.
- Place heating elements (cables or water pipes) on Penofol.
- Cover heating system elements with metal mesh.
- Fill the floor with a screed. Align the surface horizontally.
- After the solution hardens, trim the edges of Penofol.
- In order for the solution to dry faster, it is allowed to turn on the heating elements a little. It is not recommended to heat the base for a long time, cracks may appear in the screed.
- Install the floor covering.
Cloth marked "ALP" is used in the case of filling the insulation with concrete, which can destroy other modifications of foamed polyethylene. How to insulate the floor with Penofol - watch the video:
[media = https://www.youtube.com/watch? v = lJpeX_rfMxM] The work on the formation of a heat-insulating layer using Penofol is rather complicated, and a deviation from the installation technology can cause constant heat leakage. Therefore, first study the features of the process and take the task seriously.
