The essence and features of Penofol heat-insulating material, its area of application, advantages and disadvantages, surface preparation, internal wall insulation algorithm, final finishing. Insulation of walls with Penofol from the inside is a technology that is gaining more and more popularity for various reasons. It is believed that this material has truly unique characteristics and is extremely easy to use. With its help, it is possible to achieve the preservation of an optimal microclimate in the room due to not only insulating, but also reflective qualities.
Features of Penofol and its insulation from the inside
Penofol belongs to the category of very thin polymer-based insulation that is produced using the foaming process. The base is polyethylene foam, which can have different thickness, structure and density. The material owes its name to it.
Subsequently, a layer of reflective aluminum foil is attached to the layer of such polyethylene. It can be fixed on one or both sides, polishing it to such an extent that the reflection coefficient reaches 97%. It is applied by heat welding.
The manufacturing technology of Penofol gives it a closed structure, which is why this insulation is not able to pass moisture and water vapor. As for the foil, its main task is to reflect back the heat flows passing through the room.
According to the principle of operation, the insulator resembles a classic thermos. If you insulate the walls from the inside with foil-clad Penofol in the house, then in the cold months it will keep it warm, and in the summer - cool. If other heat insulators retain heat that comes out of the room, then the material with an aluminum layer reflects it.
Insulation of walls with Penofol from the inside can be done in one of 3 varieties of this material: type A - foil on one side; type B - foil on both sides; type C, where on one side there is an adhesive base, and on the other - foil. One of the most popular last types can be considered Penofol, pasted over with foil on one side, but at the same time many small holes are punctured in it. Such a perforated material becomes vapor permeable.
Penofol is produced in various thicknesses - from 3 to 10 mm. In some cases, when material is required for harsh climatic conditions, the thickness can be increased to 40 mm. Its ultimate strength during compression is not less than 0.035 MPa.
The scope of this heat-insulating material is internal insulation of residential and industrial premises, including walls, as well as balconies and loggias. The range of temperatures at which it can be used is from -60 to +100 degrees Celsius.
Penofol has proven itself as an independent heat insulator or a middle layer of insulation when protecting baths, attic rooms, showers, basements. With its help, heat reflection of household batteries, insulation of floors and pipelines, as well as various communication systems are produced.
Truly effective results in insulation can be achieved by combining Penofol with other materials. Combination with other heat insulators allows you to increase the layer thickness, which will create the necessary margin of safety for severe frosts. The Penofol foil itself perfectly reflects moisture, as a result of which the entire structure is operated for a long time.
Pros and cons of wall insulation with Penofol from the inside
The material has more than enough advantages - it is not for nothing that it has become so widespread. Let's name the following positive qualities:
- Saving usable floor space … This became possible due to the small thickness of Penofol in comparison with other heaters. At the same time, it can replace heat insulators with a thickness ten times greater.
- Good thermal insulation … Provided by the reflective ability of the material.
- High degree of environmental friendliness … The insulator is practically non-toxic, because it is made on the basis of aluminum foil and polyethylene, which have long been used in the food industry.
- Fire safety … This quality is due to the fact that Penofol is classified as a non-flammable material.
- Low vapor permeability … In this case, it does not matter what the weather is outside the window, since moisture is not absorbed by the insulation.
- Sanitary safety … Penofol is considered a material that is difficult to reach for rodents.
- Easy to transport … This is due to the fact that the heat insulator is rolled up and easily transported.
- Excellent sound insulation … If this material is mounted on the main structure, it will help protect against acoustic noise.
- Ease of installation … Penofol can be easily cut with any knife, and it can be fixed not only with small nails, but even with tape. But at the same time, it is difficult to break or crumble.
However, as is the case with other heat-insulating materials, Penofol also has certain disadvantages. They are as follows:
- The need for an additional layer that will help in reflecting heat energy and protecting against moisture ingress.
- The lack of sufficient rigidity does not allow using it under plaster or wallpapering. The material can be pressed through with light pressure.
- The need to use special adhesive mixtures, since the insulator is not recommended to be nailed to the wall - from this it loses some of its thermal insulation qualities.
Penofol insulation technology for internal walls
Depending on the characteristics of the room and the method of thermal insulation, the appropriate type of Penofol is selected. Some of them can be mounted autonomously (type B), others serve as waterproofing of a more powerful insulation (type A), and still others act as the basis of the heat-insulating layer (type C). This material successfully allows the surface to breathe without accumulating moisture. It relieves walls from the appearance of mold and mildew that arise after steam ingress.
Preparatory work before thermal insulation of walls with Penofol
Before starting the installation of Penofol, be sure to check the quality of the electrical wiring in the room. Unlike other thermal insulation materials, it contains aluminum foil, which is known to have good electrical conductivity. Protect the wires to prevent the insulation from coming into contact with bare cables.
It goes without saying that the work surface is prepared - they clean off the debris, carry out cleaning with an emery cloth. If necessary, fill up the cracks with a filler solution. It is also advisable to buy a primer paint and paint over the wall, which will allow you to get a perfectly flat surface.
Of the tools and devices for work, we need:
- Well sharpened knife;
- Furniture (construction) stapler with staples to it;
- Ruler;
- Level;
- Pencil;
- Construction trowel;
- Hammer;
- Working deep container for solution;
- Emery cloth of varying grain size;
- Screwdriver;
- Roulette;
- Dowels;
- Electric drill.
Instructions for installing Penofol on walls
Armed with the necessary tool and using the help of another person, they carry out the following actions:
- Initially, a wall-mounted wooden frame is constructed. Its task is to enhance the effect of the use of heat-insulating material. For fixing the bars, dowels are taken, which are hammered no wider than 1 m from each other.
- Penofol is fixed on the frame with a furniture stapler. For this, the material is cut into strips with a sharp knife. The strips are not overlapped, but end-to-end, so that condensation does not form along the joint line. Seams can be glued with special tape.
- After that, another frame is attached, at a distance of 2 cm. This is done in order to allow air circulation. Now it can be covered with cladding panels, putty or wallpaper on top.
A vapor barrier film is not laid, because the material itself is considered vapor-tight. However, it is not capable of replacing waterproofing.
A common mistake associated with improper installation of insulation: some craftsmen mount Penofol directly on the ceiling or wall, leaving an air gap on only one side. This leads to a decrease in its thermal insulation characteristics.
Important! When installing Penofol, its foil part must necessarily look into the room, and not at the wall. This is a prerequisite for additional heat reflection.
Finishing the walls
After laying the heat insulator, cover it with crate and wood boards on top, you can start finishing the surface. You need to start by leveling it: any defects that may interfere with the reliable fixing of the plaster or gluing the roll of wallpaper are removed. Irregularities are best cleaned with emery, starting with coarse-grained and ending with fine sandpaper, which makes the surface even and smooth.
Most often, a plaster solution is applied to the finished wall, which can then be painted or decorated in other ways. The most common are cement-based or gypsum-based plaster mixes. At the same time, gypsum is not subject to shrinkage over time, it has good plasticity and bonding properties. It does not require the use of a reinforcing mesh.
If you don't have enough experience in plastering walls, you can purchase plastering signaling devices that will be limiters - they allow you to measure the thickness of the layer and protect against irregularities. After fixing the signaling beacons on the working surface, you can start preparing the solution.
Take a bucket or other container, fill it with water about a third. Add the solution gradually and stir constantly to achieve a homogeneous mass. The mortar should be of such a consistency that it does not run off the spatula, and its density will depend on how thick the plaster layer should be. If the walls in the room absorb moisture strongly, they must be additionally moistened. For these purposes, a household spray gun is well suited. This is done so that the solution retains its moisture content, otherwise it will crack after drying.
The plaster is applied to the wall by applying it with a spatula. If such skills are difficult to master at first, then you can apply the solution to a wooden trowel and level it on the surface. Alignment is made from bottom to top. If plastering is carried out in the area of the slopes of window and door openings, then it is better to apply the solution with a slight overlap.
Using the rule, you can remove the excess solution. Its sharp edge is directed perpendicular to the plaster beacons. You should start from the lower border. Gradually, the instrument is raised higher and higher and the excess solution is removed, throwing it up. After that, the final smoothing of the wall is carried out. This is done several times to achieve a flat surface.
In order to make sure that the surface is flat, the rule is applied at different angles. The resulting bumps are scraped off with the sharp edge of the instrument. It remains to pull the beacons out of the wall with a screwdriver. Now you can grout or paint the plaster. On this, the insulation of the walls with Penofol from the inside can be considered complete.
Thermal insulation of wooden walls with Penofol
In this case, the work is somewhat different, since the wood itself is already a warm material. But, despite the fact that such a surface has a "breathing" ability, retains heat and contributes to the creation of a favorable microclimate, warm air can still seep into the street.
During operation, the wood undergoes some shrinkage under the influence of natural and climatic factors. This causes the appearance of fresh cracks, cracks, and other unfavorable places. The tightness is broken, which leads to the need to apply a heat-insulating layer.
Before carrying out insulation work on wooden walls, you need to make sure what kind of wood they are made of. This is due to the fact that different varieties and types of wood differ in different characteristics in terms of thermal insulation. All this leads to the fact that the cost of insulation may be different.
It is the lack of external insulation that leads to the need for internal wall insulation. Penofol in this case is perfect, especially if you combine it with other materials.
Insulation of a wooden house is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- Thermal insulation of wooden walls from the inside with Penofol should be started by sealing the cracks and gaps that are naturally formed in the wood. It is recommended to pay special attention to checking the joints, window frames, door frames, corners.
- Making a frame for a heat insulator for wooden walls is optional.
- If Penofol sheet with one-sided foil is used, then it is the side with the foil that should face the crate, that is, inside the room.
- A sharp knife is used to cut the strips.
- The strips are attached using special staples and a powerful construction stapler. At the same time, they should be in close contact with each other so that there is no free space between them.
- To fix the joints, they are glued with aluminum tape. This will provide an even and uniform reflective surface.
- The preservation of the air gap is a must for effective insulation and the absence of condensation. The air space must flow between the material and the wall.
- On top of the insulator, wooden bars are stuffed, which will serve as the crate. Chipboard sheets or plastic panels can be attached to them. The final finishing is the same as for concrete walls.
Note! It is necessary to carry out work on the internal insulation of a wooden house after the final shrinkage of its walls and foundation occurs. This usually happens no earlier than a year after the completion of all construction work. How to insulate walls from the inside with Penofol - watch the video:
The attractiveness of Penofol as a heater is largely due to its unique properties. However, one should pay tribute to its value, which fluctuates in ranges below the market average. Simplicity of installation will also save money, because you can perform thermal insulation of internal walls on your own.
