What you need to know about mineral wool and the nuances of insulating internal walls with it, all the pros and cons, safety rules during work, preparation and installation, finishing options, recommendations on the safety and effectiveness of mineral wool insulation. Insulation of walls from the inside with mineral wool is a good and practical way to maintain a comfortable room temperature for life. Residents of many high-rise and private houses have to face this due to the state of heat communications. The option of internal thermal insulation with mineral wool can be a way out of the situation, if you take into account a number of nuances and correctly perform insulation and decoration work.
Features of thermal insulation of internal walls with mineral wool
This material consists of tiny fibers of minerals such as basalt. In order for the fibers to bond together, phenol-formaldehyde resins are used, just like in the manufacture of chipboards. Despite the fact that mineral wool can accumulate water in itself, it is an excellent heat insulator. It is endowed with such properties thanks to the air, which is hidden between the various intertwining fibers. However, if all the air that has accumulated inside is displaced by water, then a significant part of the thermal insulation qualities of the wall will be lost. For this reason, mineral wool is afraid of even the weakest moisture. In all places where this heat insulator is used, it is necessary to ensure high-quality ventilation of the room. A ventilation gap must be made behind the layer of insulation, and it is advisable to wrap the cotton wool with a vapor-permeable membrane. It will minimize the movement of condensed water and particles of the material itself, which is unsafe for the respiratory tract.
In cases where it is necessary to insulate the walls from the inside with mineral wool, additional vapor barrier may not even be used. The wall itself will serve as an obstacle for steam to enter the heat insulator, while on the reverse side we have provided for air circulation through vertically located channels. Mineral wool is used to protect any structure of a building.
You should also pay attention to the microscopic size of the fibers in the case of insulation of the inner walls with mineral wool. When they are heated, resins are released, which are carcinogenic. Of course, no one forbids the use of material for insulation work, but it must be reliably protected from the living quarters. It is optimal if toxic fumes will be discharged outside, and not inside the room. It is unacceptable for microfibers to spread throughout the room itself. It is necessary to work with such material using additional protective equipment.
Note! One of the varieties of mineral wool is a material foiled on one side. Despite the fact that it is recommended for thermal insulation of ceilings, it is also successfully used for thermal insulation of walls.
Advantages and disadvantages of internal mineral wool insulation
Such a heat insulator has many advantages. Here are the main ones:
- Resistant even to extreme temperature conditions;
- Easily exfoliates;
- Does not have flammability, and therefore is fireproof;
- Differs in low thermal conductivity;
- Good level of absorption of third-party noise;
- Not affected by chemically aggressive substances;
- Does not deform and is resistant to mechanical stress;
- Tear resistant;
- Easy to install.
It is very convenient and cost-effective to work with such insulation as mineral wool. Absolutely all stages of thermal insulation can be performed on your own, especially if you attract an assistant. You can do internal insulation at any time of the year, regardless of the weather conditions outside the window.
There are certain disadvantages that the owner should consider if he chooses to insulate the walls from the inside with mineral wool. The most important thing is that the surface is shielded from the heat source, and therefore its temperature decreases. With significant frosts, it even freezes through. It is especially bad when it begins to freeze, soaked in moisture. Over time, this will simply lead to the destruction of the heat insulator.
In addition, the dew point will be located directly on the insulated wall. Condensation will accumulate not only in the insulation, but also on the cooled surface. Naturally, this will become a hotbed for the spread of various bacteria and mold, which adore a humid environment.
Another disadvantage is associated with a decrease in part of the usable space of the room due to the thickness of the insulation and its surface finish. The amount of reduction can reach a square meter, which is unacceptable for small spaces. Therefore, mineral wool from the inside is used in cases where it is not possible to carry out external insulation of the building.
Safety precautions during the work and use of mineral wool
Since mineral wool is a specific material, it is necessary to adhere to some operating rules and precautions. The basic rule is quite simple: it is expressed in isolating such insulation from direct contact with the inhabitants of the room. It is best to build a partition, and drywall is the optimal material for this.
The basic rules to be followed while working with mineral wool:
- Protective equipment should become a mandatory attribute. These are rubber gloves, a respirator, goggles, long-sleeved closed clothing that will protect against potential allergies.
- It is necessary to pay attention to even the slightest contact of material on open skin, which should be washed off immediately with water.
- Work should not be carried out in those places where there are open food or drinking water nearby.
- Children should not be allowed to play or be near the location of the mineral wool.
- At the end of work with mineral wool, be sure to clean up the room after you, change into clean clothes and shoes and prevent the fibers from penetrating into other rooms.
Technology of wall insulation from the inside with mineral wool
Any work that we need to perform internal wall insulation with mineral wool must be accompanied by the installation of an additional partition. It will protect the heat insulator itself, as well as people living in the room, from the harmful properties of the material.
Preparatory work before fixing mineral wool
Before starting thermal insulation work, it is necessary to carry out a thorough preparation of the surface. The reliability of the connection and the thermal insulation effect in the room will depend on this stage. To clean the wall from various types of irregularities, an emery cloth of varying degrees of grain is used. All kinds of depressions and depressions should be covered with a putty solution. The surface is treated with mixtures that counteract the appearance of dampness and mold. After that, the wall is once again subjected to final cleaning and, if necessary, covered with primer paint.
After carrying out the preparatory work, they begin to mount the fastening brackets, which will hold the mineral wool and drywall. They must be fixed at a distance of 50-60 cm from each other, in the vertical direction. From this it follows that there will be 4-5 staples in each line.
This amount is enough to reliably fix the frame profile and the heat-insulating filler itself. The staples, which are screwed on, are bent in the shape of the letter P and are used to put cotton wool on them.
The basic principles that must be observed in order for the insulation of the walls of the house from the inside to be effective with mineral wool are as follows:
- Thermal insulation should be as moisture resistant as possible.
- It should be laid so that no cracks or gaps are formed.
- It must be protected from humid air in the room with a vapor barrier.
- The wall for which the insulation is carried out should not be wet.
Among the tools required for the installation of mineral wool, we need: a screwdriver, a level, a marker, a tape measure, a simple pencil, a hacksaw, a sharp knife, a hammer, a construction stapler, working containers for solutions and paints.
Instructions for installing mineral wool on internal walls
The step-by-step technology of insulating the walls of the house from the inside with mineral wool comes down to the following steps:
- Take a roll of material or a sealed bale with layers. In order to determine the required piece, the height of the wall is measured. The insulator should be cut off with a small margin, usually at least 10 cm. Since it does not have sufficient rigidity, it may turn out that the cut piece is not enough.
- Mounting brackets protrude from the wall, onto which mineral wool will be put on. Since it is easily pierced with staples, it will be securely fixed in a vertical and horizontal position. It is necessary that it continuously and tightly overlap the entire surface.
- At the next stage, we will have the installation of CD profiles. There are no special requirements for their fasteners, but work must be carried out with gloves.
- Insulation of a brick wall from the inside with mineral wool depends on whether the front side of the material is pasted over with foil. If there is no layer, then you will have to close it with a hydro-barrier. This will protect the room from the fibers of the carcinogenic material. The protective film is attached with small self-tapping screws to the profiles in several places. As a last resort, ordinary cellophane can act as a hydro-barrier.
- Cotton wool can be laid in another way: by slipping it in layers under the profiles, if they are already installed. In this way, they pass lane by lane. In this case, you should not delaminate and make gaps.
- It remains to make the frame of the future partition. It is sheathed with large sheets of drywall. The guides themselves are attached to the hangers, which are installed in advance, using a level for this.
- After fixing the drywall, gluing and filling of all joints is carried out.
Finishing the wall after insulation with mineral wool
This is the final stage of insulation work, during which decorative and finishing materials are applied. You need to start by carefully sealing the seams and joints that arose during the installation of drywall sheets over the heat insulator. Before applying the filler mortar, the plasterboard wall must be primed. This will protect it from dust particles and provide a stronger connection of the putty to the sheet.
The surface is especially carefully processed if it is subsequently painted. If you plan to glue wallpaper, then it is enough to do with light grouting and puttying. After the finishing layer has completely dried, the wall is treated with a fine-grained sandpaper, which will ensure its accurate leveling.
Finished plasterboard walls can be finished with decorative plaster. It offers truly endless room design possibilities. There is a wide variety of shades and textures on sale, so that the wall can take on a radically new look. Such plaster is applied in one layer, and then passes over the entire surface with a special textured roller. The finished surface can be styled like wood, stone or other options.
It is advisable to apply such plaster with your own hands, and not with spatulas or other tools. In this case, deep penetration soil compositions are necessarily used. The applied mass is carefully distributed in several steps. In order for the finish to adhere well to the surface, a fiberglass mesh with a mesh size of 5 mm is used.
After the plaster mixture is applied to the drywall sheet, you can start creating the relief. It is formed with special curly spatulas, trowels, sponges. After the final drying of the picture, it is covered with a protective compound or immediately with paint.
Important! If drywall is being processed for decorative plaster, then it is not necessary to achieve a perfectly flat surface. The applied texture hides flaws and irregularities well.
Elimination of undesirable consequences of internal insulation with mineral wool
Internal thermal insulation can lead to some negative effects that must be avoided. First of all, the ingress of water vapor on the walls to be insulated must be prevented by all possible means. If the material is not saturated with moisture, then unwanted condensation will not form.
It is best to install additional vapor barrier membranes for this purpose. They can be made from commercially available foil-coated material - this is the most reliable method. During the installation of products, it is imperative to achieve complete tightness. To do this, the adjacent strips overlap, and the joints are glued with tape.
However, there is one more important point: if you restrict steam access to the wall, then the air humidity can increase in the insulated room. This threat increases if a wooden wall is insulated from the inside with mineral wool. You can fight this phenomenon either by regularly ventilating the rooms, or by installing a forced ventilation system. If the insulated wall is sewn up with plasterboard, then it is better to purchase moisture-resistant crafts, which are distinguished by the greenish color of the sheet.
You can expect a good effect from thermal insulation only if the insulation was placed on the wall as tightly as possible. Some masters recommend not dry installation of mineral wool, but additionally fix it with an adhesive. But in the warm season, you can not be afraid of increased condensation, since the steam tends outward, and not inside the room, therefore, the insulated walls will independently get rid of excess moisture.
How to insulate walls with mineral wool - watch the video:
Mineral wool is one of the most popular and sold heaters. When used correctly, it has excellent thermal insulation properties. Its durability and special insulating design allow it to be replaced without destroying adjacent materials.
