The heated air in the bath, according to the law of physics, rushes to the ceiling. Finding no obstacles in it, the steam will simply "rush" into the atmosphere. This situation will lead to a loss of heat in the room and an overconsumption of firewood for the furnace. How to avoid this with a ceiling waterproofing device - this is our material. Content:
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Ceiling waterproofing materials
- Foil material
- Clay
- Polyethylene film
- Waterproofing membranes
- Choice of materials
- Features of waterproofing the ceiling in the bath
Waterproofing the ceiling in the bath is included in the complex of measures for its insulation. The meaning of the protective system of the ceiling is as follows: the insulation, laid on the ceiling, must be isolated from the penetration of steam moisture to it from below and atmospheric moisture from the side of the attic. There is a sufficient amount of modern and "old-fashioned" materials to protect ceiling structures from water and steam. We will talk about them below.
Materials for waterproofing the ceiling in the bath
Taking into account the temperature regime of the steam room, all materials for its insulation must be of exceptionally high quality and environmentally friendly, since the purpose of visiting the steam room is the adoption of wellness procedures.
Foil material for waterproofing the ceiling of the bath
To protect the ceilings of the bathhouse, modern reflective waterproofing is used, which is both vapor barrier and thermal insulation - three in one. It is made of a material that includes a foam base laminated with a layer of aluminum foil. The thickness of such waterproofing is less than 1 cm.
The laminated surface is designed to isolate the enclosing structures of baths and saunas from moisture. In addition to the function of insulation, foamed polypropylene sheets with their foil side reflect the flows of thermal energy directed from the sauna stove to the walls and ceiling of the steam room. Thanks to this "mirror" principle, the heating time of the room is reduced by 2-3 times.
It is produced by various manufacturers. Izokom, Penofol, Izospan and Izolon - these materials are designed to protect the ceilings and walls of the bath in all its rooms, except for the steam room. It needs a different material, also foil sheets, but based on kraft paper, for example, the Finnish Alupap 125. They are designed to protect bath ceilings in high temperature conditions.
Clay for waterproofing a bath ceiling
Sometimes the insulation of the ceiling in the bath is done by "old-fashioned" methods from natural materials. The most "ancient", but proven method is to fill the surface with oily clay. Both pure substance and clay with an admixture of sawdust can be used. For the bath, red clay is used, less often white. It is inexpensive and reliable, but the method is applicable when the attic space will not be used as a billiard room or living room.
On the top of the ceiling beams, boards are rolled, on which oil-impregnated cardboard is laid, and on it is clay with a layer thickness of 30-50 mm. All cracks and gaps are smeared over. After the clay has dried, a heater is placed on it - expanded clay, moss or oak leaves.
As a waterproofing top layer, you can use a regular polyethylene film. The weight of such an insulation system will be considerable, and this must be taken into account when calculating the thickness of the load-bearing structural elements.
Polyethylene film for waterproofing the ceiling in the bath
Formally, plastic wrap can be called a vapor barrier material. It is not a membrane and does not allow steam or water to pass through, therefore it is used to insulate the lower layer of the ceiling insulation and does not allow condensation conditions in the heat insulator of steam into moisture.
Waterproofing membranes for the ceiling in the bath
Construction films that are impermeable to water but permeable to steam in both directions are called waterproofing vapor-permeable membranes. They are designed to protect the top layer of insulation from roof leaks. Unlike polyethylene film, waterproofing membranes are not afraid of ultraviolet rays.
The choice of materials for waterproofing the ceiling of the bath
When buying materials for waterproofing the ceiling of a bath, you must pay attention to their characteristics, which affect the design of the protective system of the ceiling:
- Vapor permeability … This indicator ranges from 0 to 3000 mg / m2 water per day. It determines the amount of water in a gaseous state that passes through every 1 m per day2 films. A vapor barrier film is determined by several tens of grams in this indicator. Hundreds and thousands of grams of water in it indicate that the material belongs to the type of vapor-permeable membranes.
- Strength … It is a mounting indicator that makes work easier. Strong and high quality material cannot be torn by hand. This indicator is equally important for both the vapor barrier film and the membrane.
- UV resistant … This characteristic is worth considering when the film is exposed to sunlight for a long time without the presence of a roof covering.
- Fastening … Film manufacturers offer various types of fastening material to the frame: through wooden planks, staples or nails for the roof. Films are joined together using double-sided or single-sided tape. Scotch tape and membrane should be purchased from the same insulation manufacturer, as their different chemical compositions can harm the work with the material - for example, glue can dissolve the edges of the film.
- Appointment … There are quite a few insulating films and membranes. Sometimes it is difficult to understand for what purpose a particular material is used - for installation on walls, roofs, floors or foundations. Therefore, the insulation annotations must be read on the packaging.
- Price … When determining the entire cost of films, you need to pay attention not to the price of a roll, but to the cost of 1 m2 insulation plus the cost of purchasing fasteners and tape.
Features of waterproofing the ceiling in the bath
The insulation system of the sauna ceiling provides for the protection of its insulation from moisture penetration from both sides - from the steam room and the attic space. In the first case, a vapor barrier layer of protection works, and in the second, an external waterproofing. If the insulation work is performed without proper quality, then hot steam from the steam room, going upstairs, will enter the attic through the ceiling.
This will cause the insulation to get wet with the loss of its protective properties and the appearance of condensation on the wooden elements of the roof. The settled moisture will inevitably provoke their rotting. Loss of precious heat in the steam room and waste of fuel material to maintain it can be additional problems caused by carelessly performed work. To avoid all this and keep the steam where it should be, the correct calculation and installation of vapor barrier, thermal insulation and waterproofing for the ceiling of the bath is necessary.
Foil protection of the heat insulator is performed as follows:
- The vapor barrier layer is the first in the bath ceiling protection system. It is fixed to the ceiling beams with a stapler. Each subsequent strip of material overlaps the previous strip with a distance of 15 cm, and their joints are glued with tape. Foil is used as a material, which is slightly adhered from the ceiling to the walls of the room to link with their insulation, thereby creating a continuous layer.
- Slats are attached to the ceiling beams for future installation of the "finishing" ceiling sheathing. Their thickness determines the air gap between the foil and the sheathing material. It is necessary to create a heat-reflecting effect of a vapor barrier foil layer.
- Then, from the side of the attic, an insulation layer with a layer thickness of at least 15 cm is laid on the vapor barrier membrane between the ceiling beams. Basalt wool serves as the material for it.
- The last layer of protection against moisture coming from the roof is a waterproofing polyethylene film. It is laid on the insulation and fixed to the ceiling beams.
- To prevent mechanical damage to the entire protective system, it is covered with a plank floor of the attic space.
With the correct organization of the process, the ceiling system should work according to the following scheme. Hot air from the steam room, passing through the outer lining of the ceiling, enters the space that remains behind the back of the lining. Air is trapped in it, since the foil vapor barrier layer prevents its movement to the ceiling structures and insulation. A significant temperature difference is formed on the surfaces of the skin and foil. Due to it, steam condensation occurs. The resulting liquid flows down the foil onto the floor.
If the construction of the ceiling of the bathhouse under construction is planned to be of a panel type, then before installation, each panel is equipped with insulation and only after that it rises upward for fastening. A 10 cm wide “pocket” is formed at the panel joints, which must also be insulated to prevent steam from passing through the seam. Then, insulation is placed in the panels and the joints between them. Watch a video about waterproofing the ceiling in the bath:
Following the recommendations for the correct waterproofing of the bath ceiling and adhering to the necessary procedure, you are most likely to get a decent result. Good luck!
