Insulating the ceiling in a bathhouse - methods, materials, useful tips

Technical characteristics of bath insulation

When in doubt about how to fill the ceiling in a bathhouse, it is important to remember that each of the insulation materials must have a certain number of characteristics, thanks to which the insulation function will be performed to the highest possible quality:

The use of such insulation for the ceiling of a bathhouse will be a good solution, since, as already mentioned, the material is well ventilated and is also not prone to condensation, which significantly extends the service life of the entire structure as a whole. If desired, detailed photos and videos of the installation process of inter-crown insulation can be found from specialists involved in bath insulation work.

How to insulate the ceiling in a bathhouse, detailed video:

Technology is not always obsolete

Today on the market you can find backfill materials that are both natural and artificial. Their choice depends directly on you, as well as on the design of your bathhouse. Of course, steam rooms were invented

far from yesterday, and not even in the twentieth century. They have been known to history for thousands of years. Saunas have been known since the times of Ancient Rome, and this type of relaxation was also favored in Kievan Rus. Even then it was known about the need to backfill the roof for insulation, and some technologies have survived to this day.

The best options for backfilling a bathhouse ceiling

If you wish, you can find information about what conclusions the bathhouse owners came to, using trial and error to find the optimal solutions for their buildings

They offer a list of materials and the sequence of their installation, but do not focus on the thickness of the backfill layer for the bathhouse ceiling. It depends on the region of residence

When determining this indicator for a specific building, you can rely on the recommendations of experts:

• the thickness of the mineral wool layer for the southern regions is 15 cm, for the northern regions 20 cm;
• expanded clay – 15-30 cm;
• sawdust concrete (arbolite) – 10-15 cm;
• dry compressed straw 30-50 cm;
• dry sand - 10-20 cm.

The thickness of insulation for cold attics

Methods for filling the ceiling of a bathhouse, which are the most successful combinations of traditional and modern techniques.

To insulate the chimney, it is recommended to use modern non-combustible materials: perlite sand, cellular concrete blocks, basalt wool slabs.

Modern non-combustible materials

One of the modern methods of insulating a bathhouse ceiling is the use of growing aerated concrete. It is also suitable for protecting chimneys.

Thermal insulation of chimney pipes where they pass through the ceiling

How to properly install a vapor barrier

First of all, you need to decide on the material that will be used, and only after that start laying a vapor barrier on the ceiling in the bathhouse. A correctly installed ceiling in a steam room looks like a “layer cake”; if you look at it from below, it will look like this:

1. Finishing with steam-treated lining, most often linden;
2. Lathing for fixing the slats of interior decoration. Its presence is mandatory, because it works as additional ventilation;
3. A vapor barrier layer that is distributed along the entire perimeter of the ceiling extending onto the walls;
4. The ceiling itself and wooden logs;
5. Vapor barrier film;
6. Insulation. Here the choice can be any - sawdust, sawdust with clay, expanded clay, mineral wool, polystyrene foam, etc., its layer must be at least 10 cm;
7. If the attic space will be used, install flooring.

Will the attic be unclaimed? Simply cover the insulation with film or other protective material to provide additional protection against heat loss. The coating will help protect the insulation layer from possible moisture and condensation in the attic.

Do-it-yourself thermal insulation of a bathhouse ceiling with expanded clay

In order to make the ceiling surface warmer, it will not be enough to simply fill in the required layer of material. This process is characterized by a number of features that will need to be taken into account in order to obtain the desired result.

Stage 1. Ensuring protection of the load-bearing surface from moisture.

For these purposes, it is recommended to use the following types of building materials of various types:

• roofing felt - produced in the form of rolls;
• membrane or film;
• mastic - applied by coating the surface.

The optimal option for arranging waterproofing is considered to be the following work algorithm:

Roofing felt is laid on top of hot bitumen. The joints are also sealed with bitumen mastic.

If a screed is planned to be installed on top of the thermal insulation layer, a special damper tape is laid along the entire perimeter of the insulated room. This type of material is able to compensate for the linear tension of the concrete layer. This tape should completely cover the edges of the waterproofing coating.

Stage 2. Carrying out the backfilling process

In order for the surface of the backfill to adequately fulfill its thermal insulation functions, a mixture of expanded clay with granules of various sizes mixed together is used. During work, a large amount of dust will be in the air. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to provide high-quality ventilation in the insulated room.

Stage 3. Backfilling the main structural elements of the bathhouse (smoke exhaust pipes and ventilation ducts)

In order to be able to compact the insulating layer, structures protruding above the plane of the attic floor are surrounded by special wooden boxes. These cavities are filled according to the same principle according to which the ceiling was insulated.

If in the future it is planned to arrange the screed, then the following preparatory work is carried out:

• the expanded clay layer is poured with cement-based “milk”;
• beacons are displayed;
• a reinforced mesh of reinforcement is laid, having a cell edge of 5 to 10 centimeters;
• a solution of a mixture of sand and cement is poured.

Vapor barrier

Is it possible to do without a vapor barrier in a bathhouse? Of course not, if the tree is pathetic. If you don’t tend to spend money on wind and rot and your bathhouse is expensive, insulation of the ceiling, vapor barrier is something you can’t do without. Another thing is that there is a lot of debate about whether to use foil as a vapor barrier. But this is already a matter of faith. In fact, those who cope with similar work themselves can find their own answer - by steaming with and without foil. By the way, its advantages include high heat resistance, which means that if you install something else for vapor protection, then it will be with a temperature range corresponding to a specific bathhouse - Russian or Finnish.

Now that it is already clear why a ceiling without insulation is a waste of heat, all that remains is to wish every owner that in any weather his bathhouse will warm up properly and keep warm for the second day.

Choosing insulation for a bathhouse ceiling

When choosing what to cover the ceiling of a Russian-type bathhouse so as to give it maximum insulation, you should opt for natural materials that have been used for these purposes from time immemorial. For example, you can use materials such as jute-based fiber, hemp rope, tow, moss or felt. They are able to provide the ceiling with excellent thermal insulation and allow air to constantly circulate. In addition, they are environmentally friendly samples and can be compacted well.

Moss used in construction perfectly tolerates moisture falling on it, so if you are wondering how to cover the ceiling in a bathhouse, you can use it.

You can also use materials based on jute or flax fiber. They also have a lot of positive characteristics and are suitable for insulating a bath ceiling.

Thermal insulation of a bath ceiling with jute felt

Jute is a very practical insulation for a bathhouse ceiling, which is not prone to rotting and is able to maintain a good microclimate indoors. There can be several options for the composition of such a filler: felt based on jute, flax-jute felt, and also flax wool.

This material does not contain foreign impurities; it consists only of natural components.

When thinking about how to fill the ceiling in a bathhouse made from the above jute materials, it is best to opt for flax jute, since the combination of natural components in this insulation is optimal. It has a long service life, withstands high temperatures, and also includes such positive properties of its two main components as hardness (from jute) and softness (from flax).

Choice of insulation

All insulation for baths are divided into two large subgroups:

1. Natural.
2. Artificial.

Natural insulation materials (those created by nature itself include):

Clay

It is a strong and inexpensive material that can be easily applied.

Pros of clay:

1. It can retain moisture in the bath for a long time.
2. Has excellent steam and waterproofing characteristics.
3. Does not require additional materials and tools.
4. When hardened, it forms a strong monolithic layer that does not allow water to pass through.

Minuses:

1. The fragility of service.
2. Due to its heavy weight, it can only be used on strong ceilings and strong flooring.

Dry leaves and sawdust and wood

The advantages of this material are:

1. Cheap cost.
2. Speed ​​in work.
3. Sawdust does not need to be additionally filled with concrete or other material. It will be enough to simply pour them onto the ceiling.

The downside is that sawdust can only be used when the ceiling is completely dry and does not get wet.

Artificial insulation materials include:

Expanded clay

It is a bulk material in granules, which is made from different types of clay.

Its advantages are:

1. Frost resistance.
2. Fire resistance.
3. Good insulating properties.

The disadvantage is that expanded clay can allow water to pass through.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX-txHbYx7A

Mineral wool

It is made from artificial fibers. It contains the following materials: balsate, diabase, limestone and other rocks.

The advantages of this material include:

1. It lasts a long time.
2. Not very expensive.
3. Easy to use.
4. It has excellent thermal insulation properties.
5. Isolates sound.
6. Eco-friendly.
7. Has resistance to fire.
8. Small rodents and insects do not grow in it.
9. It does not grow mold and mildew.

The disadvantages of this material are:

1. It should be completely isolated from steam, since when wet it can lose up to half of its qualities.
2. Such material cannot be crushed or compacted, since when the fibers are compressed, they lose their thermal insulation qualities.

Styrofoam

This is an artificial material that has foamed plastic masses, which make up its main part.

Pros of polystyrene foam:

1. Not very expensive.
2. Combines well with other materials.
3. Convenient to use.
4. Does not rot or fall apart.
5. Non-toxic.
6. Doesn't lose shape.

Minuses:

1. When heated, it may release toxic substances.
2. Lights up easily.
3. It can harbor small rodents.

Insulation of the ceiling in the bathhouse

The ceiling can rightfully be called the most important structure from the point of view of insulation. And anyone who is familiar with the laws of physics will understand why this is so. After all, warm air is lighter than cold air, which means it rushes up, while cold air flows down. That is why the most heated air and steam collect under the ceiling of the bathhouse.

It is not difficult to guess what will happen if it comes into contact with an uninsulated ceiling that has good thermal conductivity. In addition, the greater the temperature difference, the faster the cooling. (You should not conclude from this that the floor does not need insulation - this is the second most important area that requires it.)

That is why we will consider here in detail the insulation of the bathhouse ceiling from all sides.

Step-by-step installation of a deck structure

The technology for installing a flat ceiling is not difficult. It is carried out according to the following plan:

Laying rough boards

The rough ceiling boards are laid on the walls, and a sheathing of bars is placed on top of them in increments of 0.5-1 m. You can knock the boards into a shield in advance using the bars and lay it on the walls in finished form.

Laying the thermal insulation layer

Mineral (basalt) wool is laid on the boards. The insulation layer should be 150-200 mm. Moreover, it is not necessary to use thick mats for this. You can take thin mats, for example, 50 mm thick, and lay them out in 3-4 layers to the desired height

Particular attention is paid to the junction of the chimney pipe and insulation

When creating floor ceilings, bulk insulation materials are very popular. But, when using them, there is a possibility that the fine fraction will spill out through the cracks of the rough ceiling. To prevent this from happening, a barrier, for example, kraft paper, is laid over the boards, along the beams.

The most famous bulk insulation is expanded clay. Granules of different fractions should be used to eliminate the appearance of voids and achieve a higher quality, dense layer. Expanded clay should be poured onto kraft paper, between wooden sides (from beams or boards) laid along the perimeter of the ceiling. The thickness of the expanded clay backfill is 200-300 mm.

Clay with sawdust or straw is another “folk” insulation material. Clay is mixed with water, sawdust or straw is added to the solution and applied in an even layer on craft paper. The thickness of such thermal insulation is 100-150 mm. There is a more complex “recipe”. Dry clay is poured with water, stirred until it becomes thick sour cream, and allowed to stand for 3-4 days. After this, a 5 cm layer of clay is applied to the ceiling. After a week, if cracks have formed, they are covered with clay mortar. Then pour 10 cm of dry oak leaves on top of the clay, then 5 cm of dry earth.

It should be understood that insulation materials made of clay or expanded clay have significant weight and place a lot of stress on the floor boards. They can be used in a flat ceiling version only in tandem with thick boards, with a small distance between the walls.

Installation of vapor barrier

A layer of vapor barrier is sewn onto the boards from the side of the bathhouse. This layer is necessary to protect the heat-insulating layer that follows it from moisture from the steam room. Fix the vapor barrier with a construction stapler or thin nails. The sheets are laid with an overlap of 10-15 cm, the seams are sealed with mounting tape.

Finishing the ceiling with clapboard

Slats are placed on the ceiling vapor barrier in increments of 50-70 cm. The slats should provide a ventilation gap (2-3 cm) between the vapor barrier and the finishing cladding. The gap will allow any condensation that will inevitably appear on the vapor barrier to dry naturally. Otherwise, the lining will begin to become saturated with moisture and rot.

The lining strips are attached to the slats using nails or clamps. It is more practical for a bath ceiling to use not the usual thin eurolining, but its thicker and wider varieties - imitation timber or block house.

Step by step guide

Depending on the type of insulation used and the type of ceiling structure, the methods of installing thermal insulation differ. The choice of ceiling structure depends on the size of the bathhouse, budget, number of workers, and type of insulation.

The flooring option for constructing a ceiling is suitable for small bath buildings. This is a convenient and low-cost method. The ceiling is laid on the walls. Such a ceiling can be with an attic, but more often it is made without an attic. The flooring can be grooved lumber or regular unedged but well-fitted boards more than 4.5 cm thick.

Rolled heat insulators are well suited for flat ceilings.

Using mineral wool, insulation will look like this:

• A vapor barrier material is spread over the wooden flooring. A good solution would be to use foil-foamed polyethylene or polypropylene. It will provide additional insulating properties to the insulating layer. The joints are hermetically sealed.
• Mineral wool in a roll is laid on top. If you are installing basalt wool, which has foil on one side, then you do not need to lay a vapor barrier film. When using polypropylene, the thickness of the mineral wool layer can be reduced by 20%.
• Then the mineral wool is covered with waterproofing material.
• At the end, a rough plank floor is laid.

For a flat ceiling, heavy thermal insulation materials such as expanded clay are not used. It is necessary that the thermal insulation layer be small, less than 15 cm. If the layer exceeds the height of the wall, then it is necessary to construct an enclosing box on top of the wall, lengthening the entire structure.

You can also use the traditional method - insulate the ceiling with a sawdust-cement mixture. To prepare it, take a bucket of dry sawdust and half a liter of cement. This mixture is stirred, gradually adding water in small portions. The result should be a moistened, homogeneous, loose mixture.

Gradually cover the entire surface 10 cm thick with this material and compact it well. After drying, a monolithic structure is formed. If cracks appear due to uneven evaporation of the liquid, they are coated with liquid clay. There is no need to lay waterproofing on top, but a vapor barrier layer must be laid underneath.

The construction of a suspended ceiling can be done with your own hands without any help. In this case, wooden beams are laid on the walls. Strong beam floors can become the basis for an attic-type attic. The ceiling is hemmed onto the bottom side of the beam, and the top side will become the attic floor. Thermal insulation is laid between the beams.

All types of bulk insulation, mineral wool rolls and slabs can be used as a heat insulator.

If backfill materials are selected, then installation work is carried out in the following order:

• Cheap lumber is stuffed onto the underside of the beams.
• A vapor barrier film is rolled out along the bottom of the rough boards, secured with a wooden strip.
• After protection from steam, the ceiling is finished with clapboard, installed with a gap of 2 cm.
• On the attic side, a surface separated by floor beams is obtained. Insulation of the required thickness is poured into this sheathing. If insulation spills out in the cracks of the rough ceiling, then they must be covered. The heat insulation layer should be 2-4 cm below the beam. This is a natural ventilation gap.
• An attic floor made of boards or wood boards is laid on the beams. If expanded clay is used for insulation, then waterproofing must be laid under the floor.

Mineral wool in rolls and slabs is installed according to the following algorithm:

• Perpendicular to the beams, a vapor barrier layer is attached with slats from the side of the room.
• Then the finishing of the ceiling is installed. Lining, edged boards or tongue-and-groove wooden planks are used.
• Mineral wool is placed in the spacer between the floor beams. When the size of the roll or slab does not correspond to the width between the beams, then a slatted or mesh collection needs to be built underneath. If the thickness of the wool is greater than the beam, then it must be increased with wooden slats to the missing height. The lack of height can be dealt with in an alternative way - to compensate for a smaller layer of cotton wool by laying penoplex on the top tier.
• Any waterproofing material is laid over the beams with an overlap.
• Rough boards are nailed onto the waterproofing to serve as the floor for the attic.

If a panel type is chosen to create a bath ceiling, then preliminary preparation will be required. The dimensions of the panels are calculated based on the width of the interblock span. Think over the layout. A gap of 4-5 cm is left between the beams and panels.

Panels are made from low-quality lumber, knocked together in two layers perpendicular to each other, with sides attached. All wooden parts are treated with a fire-retardant compound. A reflective vapor barrier material is placed on top of each panel. An alternative could be basalt wool with foil. A piece of mineral wool, a layer of ecowool, a mixture of sawdust and cement or loose expanded clay is laid on the vapor barrier. The panel is ready for installation.

In this form, the panels are lifted into the attic in accordance with the diagram. Next, they begin installation, placing them in the same plane with the floor beams. The gaps between the beams and panels are pierced with insulation. The result is a cellular structure, which is covered with a waterproofing film. The attic floor can be installed on the beams. Lifting heavy panels and hanging them does not require self-installation.

Materials for insulating the attic and its floor

Insulation of the attic and its floors can be done using a wide variety of bulk materials, including:

Thermal insulation material must be able to withstand temperature changes.

• glass wool;
• straw;
• expanded clay;
• reed;
• seaweed;
• pieces of foam;
• sawdust;
• linen;
• slag;
• Styrofoam;
• mineral wool in slabs.

When choosing a material to improve the roof of a cold attic, you need to be guided by several mandatory points: the quality of materials, ease of use, the ability not to change properties at different temperatures, as well as the naturalness of the insulation for a cold attic.

Insulation: which one is better

We will not say that our opinion is the ultimate truth. The choice of a heat insulator in each specific case is influenced by many factors - what is the construction budget, what materials are easier to get in your area (ecowool is good, but less common than mineral wool), what are the design features of the roof and ceiling.

In addition, bulk materials only imply horizontal surfaces, and do not always have modifications suitable for vertical/sloping ones.

In general, there is nothing new to say. It is optimal (in our opinion) to use expanded clay for floor ceilings, or better yet, expanded vermiculite; for hemmed ceilings , use basalt wool for saunas. But what is the best insulation for a bathhouse roof is more difficult to say, because with a certain adjustment of the shortcomings almost everything is suitable.

Materials that should not be used when constructing a bath ceiling

Despite the indispensability of some materials used in the construction of a house, some of them can only harm a structure such as a bathhouse.

The list of undesirable materials for a bath ceiling usually includes the following:

• materials consisting of particle boards or plywood (fibreboard, chipboard). Moisture penetrating inside the plywood completely deforms it. In addition, these materials, when interacting with high temperature and humidity, begin to release substances harmful to human health;
• plastic. Despite the prevalence of this material in this type of installation, such as the exterior decoration of a house, it is categorically not recommended to use plastic for the ceiling of a bathhouse, since condensation will certainly protrude and accumulate on it;
• Styrofoam. This material, just like plywood, when interacting with hot and humid air, begins to release harmful substances.

Features of the bath ceiling design

When installing a ceiling, many factors should be taken into account, including high humidity in the room and exposure to high temperatures. It is no secret that warm air tends to rise, as a result of which it is important to insulate the ceiling in such a way that the heat does not leave the room. Under no circumstances should you install suspended ceilings in the steam room itself, but with their help you can perfectly decorate the ceiling in the dressing room.

It is important to remember that even a small loss of heat can negate all the beneficial characteristics of the bathhouse, since the room will simply lose its ability to organize a warm and humid microclimate.

It is worth remembering that the ceiling should not only not allow heat to pass through, but condensation should also not appear on it, which can significantly reduce the service life of the materials from which the bathhouse is built.

Which option will we build?

Thermal insulation, vapor barrier, wooden flooring - all this is included in any floor ceiling. But the layers in the “pie” may slightly change their location. We propose to consider one of the most common flooring structures. The layers are arranged as follows (starting from the top):

• thermal insulation layer - mats, roll insulation, bulk material;
• rough ceiling - boards 4-5 cm thick;
• vapor barrier - film or foil;
• ventilation gap – 2-3 cm;
• finishing cladding - lining.

To assemble such a structure you need to purchase:

• Lining for cladding. Only natural lining made from linden, larch, cedar, aspen, birch and other species is used.
• Vapor barrier material. The most popular material is aluminum foil. It will protect the inner layers of the ceiling from the accumulation of condensation and water ingress. Additionally, it reflects the infrared rays that fall on it, and accordingly, plays the role of an insulating (heat-preserving) layer. More convenient to install is aluminum foil not on its own, but on a paper base, for example, kraft paper. Polyethylene films have good vapor barrier properties; wax paper; cardboard impregnated with drying oil.
• Mounting tape. Assembly or aluminum tape will be needed to seal the joints of vapor barrier material, the sheets of which are laid overlapping.
• Thermal insulating material. Non-toxic, fireproof materials are used to insulate the bathhouse ceiling. Basalt wool (Ursa, Rockwool, Knauf Insulation) holds the palm among such insulation materials. It is distinguished by low thermal conductivity, nonflammability, and durability. Bulk insulation materials are also popular: expanded clay, sawdust, earth, sand, clay with sawdust or straw.
• Boards for the rough ceiling. The boards must be of good quality, without defects: cracks, rot, damage from fungi and insects. The optimal thickness is 4-5 cm.
• Bars. For lathing on a rough ceiling.
• Thin slats. Used for attaching lining to a sub-ceiling.

And, of course, don’t forget to prepare small consumables - nails, screws, etc.

Heat and vapor barrier device

Standard insulation of a bathhouse ceiling is carried out using mats and slabs, usually consisting of glass wool and mineral wool. The use of expanded polystyrene is usually relevant for insulation in the dressing room, but it is not recommended to use them in the steam room, as they have poor fire resistance.

An example of installing vapor and thermal insulation for a bath ceiling:

1. The vapor barrier is polyethylene film, glassine, roofing felt, roofing felt, aluminum foil. Their use helps prevent the formation of condensation.
2. You should not use roofing felt, roofing felt and glassine in a steam room, since exposure to high temperatures inevitably entails the appearance of an unpleasant odor and substances harmful to the human body. For a steam room, it is best to use foil material as a vapor barrier.
3. Alternatively, thermal insulation can be done using foil material, and additional insulation can be done using expanded clay. It is worth noting that expanded clay should be used with different fractions.
4. The simplest and most common option for a vapor barrier device is the use of a polyethylene film with a density of more than 140 microns. It would be more correct to use foil for the steam room, and craft paper for the dressing room.
5. The maximum heat will remain in the bathhouse only if its roof is also equipped with thermal insulation. This is usually achieved by coating it with clay to which sawdust is added. The thickness of such a layer should be approximately 20 centimeters.

6. The classic option for insulating a bath ceiling is to backfill the clay screed with a layer containing peat and sawdust. The use of perlite is allowed.
7. In the process of insulating the ceiling of a bathhouse, materials made by combining are increasingly used. They carry not only insulation, but also vapor barrier functions. In addition, they are very convenient to use and easy to use.

These materials have the ability to normally withstand temperatures up to 150 degrees without showing any defects, and they also withstand high humidity typical of a bathhouse. They are made in the form of slabs, and fixation to the ceiling is carried out using nails or using a standard stapler. The external finishing of the ceiling is completed by installing the sheathing (for more details: “How to insulate the ceiling in a bathhouse - device options”).

Detailed descriptions of the entire process of insulating bathhouse ceilings with videos and photos of the entire process can often be provided by construction companies supplying materials.

Chimney insulation

Insulation around the chimney can be done using the following materials:

• glass wool;
• balsat wool;
• mineral wool;

Let's consider mineral wool insulation.

It is done this way:

1. Cut several pieces of cotton wool that will fit the size of the pipe.
2. Using wire stitching, secure it to the chimney.
3. After this, wrap a thermal insulation film around it and attach it with a stapler.
4. After this, you can wrap the chimney with cotton wool again and wrap it with film again.

This method of thermal insulation of chimneys is considered the most effective and simple. With its help, heat loss will be halved, so the bath will heat up faster and keep warm.

This way, you can insulate not only the chimney pipe, but also the steam room itself, which will make it as protected as possible from fire and frost.

Why do this?

The main rooms in a Russian bath are the steam room and the dressing room. The steam room maintains a high level of temperature and steam. Heated moist air tends to escape through gaps in the ceiling and walls. It is impossible to make a sealed steam room out of wood. The majority of heat loss occurs through the ceiling as hot air rises. To reduce the outflow of heat, insulation is installed. The thermal insulation material will act as a barrier and protect the steam room from rapid cooling. Insulating the steam room will reduce heat loss.

The ceiling can be insulated from the attic side or from below. The technology of thermal insulation works includes the construction of a multilayer structure. The result of high-quality ceiling insulation will be a reduction in heating costs and an increase in the time of maintaining comfortable heat in the room.

The best options for backfilling a bathhouse ceiling

If you wish, you can find information about what conclusions the bathhouse owners came to, using trial and error to find the optimal solutions for their buildings

They offer a list of materials and the sequence of their installation, but do not focus on the thickness of the backfill layer for the bathhouse ceiling. It depends on the region of residence

When determining this indicator for a specific building, you can rely on the recommendations of experts:

• the thickness of the mineral wool layer for the southern regions is 15 cm, for the northern regions 20 cm;
• expanded clay – 15-30 cm;
• sawdust concrete (arbolite) – 10-15 cm;
• dry compressed straw 30-50 cm;
• dry sand - 10-20 cm.

The thickness of insulation for cold attics

Methods for filling the ceiling of a bathhouse, which are the most successful combinations of traditional and modern techniques.

Prices for mineral wool

mineral wool

To insulate the chimney, it is recommended to use modern non-combustible materials: perlite sand, cellular concrete blocks, basalt wool slabs.

Modern non-combustible materials

One of the modern methods of insulating a bathhouse ceiling is the use of growing aerated concrete. It is also suitable for protecting chimneys.

Thermal insulation of chimney pipes where they pass through the ceiling

The first stage of insulation: arrangement of the floor

Now let's proceed to the direct insulation of the bathhouse ceiling. You need to start with arranging the top floor:

• Fix wooden beams, pre-treated with antiseptics, onto the crowns of the logs or beams of the steam room roof. Especially carefully it is necessary to treat the areas where beams meet roofing materials with excellent technical properties.
• Sew boards to the beams, forming roll-up panels. They should be two strictly perpendicular rows of boards. Use self-tapping screws to secure the panels. Make sure that the lower planes of the boards exactly coincide with the corresponding planes of the beams.

Advice. Before arranging the ramp, draw a diagram of the location of the shields, indicating their numbers and dimensions - this way you will not get confused during the installation process. Keep in mind that there must be a gap of at least 5 cm between the beams and cladding boards, and 20-25 cm between the panels and the chimney.

• After installing the rolls, protect the boards from fungus - treat them with special antiseptic compounds.

How to insulate with your own hands?

To insulate the ceiling in a bathhouse, you should prepare the following materials and tools:

• roulette;
• stapler (construction);
• hammer;
• nails;
• knife;
• construction tape;
• saw;
• scissors;
• drill;
• boards with a thickness of at least 50 cm;
• bars with a diameter of 40 by 40 cm (for ceiling cladding);
• nails;
• self-tapping screw;
• polyethylene film;
• mineral wool or other selected materials (clay, expanded clay, sawdust, foam);

Ceiling insulation with clay

1. First, you should prepare the ceiling surface for the upcoming insulation. To do this, you need to fill the slats between the beams at a distance of twenty centimeters from each other. Secure them with nails.
2. Next you need to mix straw with clay in a three to two combination. Dilute all this with a small amount of water to make a thick porridge.
3. Now you should evenly apply a layer of clay in the space between the beams so as to completely fill it. Compact it. After this, you should wait enough time for the clay to dry completely.
4. Now you need to add additional layers of insulation again. That is, to cover up the cracks and crevices that have formed. To do this, you need to make a solution of sawdust, water and clay.
5. After this, a layer of aluminum foil should be laid. Attach it with nails to the beams.

Sawdust

1. In the attic of the bathhouse, you need to nail several paving beams, making the same distance between them. They will serve as a frame.
2. Place a vapor barrier film on top so that its sheets overlap the ends of the crossbars by a few centimeters. Attach them using a stapler or nails.
3. Make a solution of sawdust, water and clay. It should not be too liquid, but not thick either. In addition, you can not make a solution at all, but simply pour dry sawdust into the attic and secure it with another layer of vapor barrier tape.
4. If you are working with a solution, then after this you need to apply it with light movements and compact it a little.
5. After this, you need to wait some time for the solution to dry completely and apply a second layer.

Expanded clay

Insulation with expanded clay provides the following action plan:

1. The ceiling in the bathhouse is covered with boards from above.
2. Between them, pour a thirty-centimeter layer of expanded clay.
3. Tamp the expanded clay a little and cover it with boards, which must first be sanded twice.

It is important to know that sand or sawdust should not be added to expanded clay, as over time this will lead to the penetration of moisture and cold.

Foam plastic

1. Polystyrene foam can be attached both outside the bathhouse and from the inside (from the attic side).
2. Place wooden beams on the ceiling at equal distances from each other.
3. Use nails to attach pre-cut foam sheets. Fill all the free space between the wooden beams with them.
4. After this, you need to lay waterproofing tape or regular film. Secure it with a stapler.
5. Make a solution of sand, concrete and water. Cover the entire surface above the foam with it. Also, instead, you can tightly hammer the entire surface of the ceiling with wooden boards, leaving no gaps.

Mineral wool

First you need to waterproof the ceiling by covering it with film. After this, you need to treat the wood with antiseptic agents. Now we move on to fixing the mineral wool

Usually, it is sold in rolls, and this makes its installation as convenient as possible. When laying wool, it is very important not to touch the area where you want it so that the material does not melt from the heat. On top of the cotton wool, on the ceiling, you need to lay the thermal film with the smooth side on top. Attach it with a stapler or nails. Place chipboard on top.

The second stage of insulation: laying thermal insulation

As soon as the top floor is ready, you can proceed to the installation of thermal insulation material. Whatever insulation you choose, the operating technology is approximately the same.

Thermal insulation material should be installed in all spaces between beams. Lightly compact it so that the insulation fits tightly to the surface. The thicker the thermal insulation material, the higher the effect of its action - in a regular bathhouse, 100 mm of insulation will be sufficient. Check several times to ensure that there are no gaps left in the ceiling structure.

Separately, it should be said about the mandatory insulation of the chimney. There may be several options:

• “packaging” the chimney in a special pipe made of non-galvanized steel, treated from the inside with a layer of expanded clay;
• insulation of the area around the chimney with expanded clay composition.

The process of insulating a bathhouse with an attic will look a little different. First, the boards are coated with a thick layer of clay. Then all existing cracks in the attic are filled with wooden chips, which are pre-moistened in concrete mortar. And then the thermal insulation material is laid. Better in two or three layers.

After completion of the work, the material must be sheathed with wooden boards. Place them perpendicular to the beams. It is not necessary to use a long board - it can be replaced with a short board, homemade boards with sawdust or fiberboard. The top surface of the bathhouse is treated with a fire retardant. It is advisable to cover all wooden boards in the chimney area with asbestos sheets.

Do not forget that without high-quality ceiling insulation, not a single bathhouse will be able to fully fulfill its tasks and guarantee a healthy microclimate. Therefore, if you want to get a truly comfortable steam room, once again evaluate the thermal insulation materials described above, choose the appropriate option and get to work, following the installation rules.

What to choose?

You will definitely have a question during construction: “which ceiling is best for you, and which option to make?” And you will definitely need to decide in advance. The fact is that not only the height of the ceiling in the bathhouse matters, but also the type of ceiling cladding itself.

As for the height, it should not be too high, otherwise the steam will concentrate above the desired level.

A ceiling that is too low will be inconvenient, so choose the best option for yourself in advance. The ceiling height of a bathhouse is considered acceptable when a person does not experience discomfort on the top shelf.

As for the type of ceiling, false ceilings are most often used in bath rooms. They are stronger than others, and they can be used in fairly large baths, where the distance between the walls exceeds 2.5 meters.

If you are planning a miniature bathhouse, then it is quite possible to make a flat ceiling. It can also be done in a room where there are additional load-bearing walls. For example, between the steam room and the dressing room.

The wall will serve as an additional frame for the flooring. But in this case, the ceiling in the dressing room will be level with the ceiling in the steam room. Not everyone is happy with this option, so it’s worth taking this nuance into account.

So what should the structure of the bathhouse ceiling be like so as not only to please the eye, but also not to cause trouble?

Why is this necessary?

A person in a steam room often encountered such a phenomenon as condensation. It is formed when hot steam rises and drops of water appear in the room. It doesn’t matter whether the steam room is built into the room or is a separate structure, it is necessary to insulate it. The only question is how and to what extent. If it is built into the room, excess heat can go into the house. Therefore a thermal camera is required.

Wooden parts of the structure are most exposed to the aggressive effects of high temperatures and moisture. Therefore, the coating must be of high quality to ensure an “impeccable” microclimate in the steam room.

To make wood last longer, it is impregnated with various compounds (additives - fire retardants). They increase durability. This safety measure is justified, because the temperature in the steam room reaches 100°C. However, chemical anti-mold coatings will produce toxic fumes at high temperatures.

The main “ally” of wooden coverings is insulation, which should retain hot steam indoors and prevent the development of rot. It protects the wood from condensation, prevents wood from rotting and extends its service life.

Proper insulation of the ceiling in a bathhouse or steam room with your own hands involves observing the following points:

1. Steam must accumulate and remain indoors.
2. The inside of the roof must be protected from high humidity.
3. It is necessary to prevent the occurrence and accumulation of condensation both in the steam room itself and in the ceilings under the lining in the walls and ceiling.

Application of expanded clay

If you need to backfill a room that does not have an attic, you must use ordinary expanded clay. Before backfilling, it is recommended to perform a high-quality vapor barrier and seal the seams. As soon as the vapor barrier is done, the procedure should begin. Backfilling is done in one layer. The advantage of expanded clay is excellent sound insulation, noise insulation and heat-saving properties.

When the backfill is completed, you need to make a top layer of waterproofing. This is necessary in order to prevent the expanded clay from absorbing moisture. If moisture does get into the material, it swells, becomes heavier and there is a risk of ceiling failure. After waterproofing is completed, the roof is installed. If the bathhouse also has an attic, then strong boards need to be installed above the insulation, which will create a high-quality base. The final choice is yours, but before deciding on the material, you need to think it through carefully, take into account the features of the project, budget and availability of certain options.

Vapor barrier and waterproofing

The need for vapor and waterproofing depends on the type of heat insulator. Installation of protective layers is necessary for mineral wool, ecowool, expanded clay, and sawdust. There is a certain rule for the order in which layers are placed. The first layer is a vapor barrier, then insulation. The top is covered with waterproofing with a ventilation gap of 2-5 cm.

A high level of humidity in the bath requires a high-quality vapor barrier flooring. It performs two functions at once - it will protect against steam from the room getting onto hydrophobic insulation. The barrier will not allow moisture to be absorbed into the thermal insulation, increase its weight, or worsen its thermal conductivity. Also, a vapor barrier will prevent moisture from penetrating into the attic space, causing condensation to form on the wooden roof structures.

The vapor barrier can be installed from the attic side or inside the room. For internal protection, a vapor barrier material is attached between the rough ceiling sheathing and the exterior trim. External vapor barrier spreads over the attic floor and beams.

The main task during installation is to create the most airtight vapor barrier layer possible.

The following vapor barrier materials are used:

• clay 2-3 cm thick;
• glassine;
• dry cardboard;
• wax-impregnated paper;
• roofing felt;

• vapor barrier membrane;
• foil with a kraft paper base;
• fiberglass-based foil;
• foil based on lavsan.

Waterproofing is needed to prevent moisture from getting into the insulation from the cold attic. Water can form as a result of condensation when the attic space is not properly ventilated. Roof leaks may also occur. The top layer of waterproofing will protect the insulation from getting wet.

For waterproofing, thick polyethylene film, roofing felt or modern waterproofing films are used.

Features of floor insulation in a bathhouse using expanded clay

Insulating the floor in a bathhouse with expanded clay with your own hands can be done with ease if you follow a certain sequence of operations and follow the insulation technology. Regarding the arrangement of thermal insulation of the flooring in the premises of the bath complex, you should worry about it at the stage of construction or repair work. When installing insulation and calculating its quantity, you should also calculate the maximum permissible load on the floor.

When carrying out floor insulation work, the following instructions should be followed:

1. A bitumen-based waterproofing material is spread, the material is applied taking into account the overlap of the strips on each other at a distance of 10 cm and on the walls by 15 cm.
2. Beacons are attached that will show the thickness of the layer and its evenness.
3. Before filling the material between the floor joists, they should be treated with an antiseptic special compound.
4. Expanded clay is backfilled with a layer equal to 150-200 mm. For better thermal insulation of the floor, it is recommended to use a mixture of different fractions of insulation material for backfilling.
5. After backfilling, the layer is filled with cement laitance to bond the granules together.
6. After the milk has set, a reinforcing mesh is installed to provide additional rigidity.
7. A cement-sand screed is poured over the layer of insulation and reinforcing mesh, which must have a thickness of at least 30 mm.
8. After the screed has completely hardened, the waterproofing material should be laid and secured.
9. After installing the waterproofing, the finished floor is installed.

When laying and insulating the floor of a bathhouse on the ground, the insulation layer must be at least 350mm. This indicator should be taken into account at the design stage of the facility, since the insulation layer will inevitably lead to a rise in the floor level.

Expert advice

For bath structures, the criterion of environmental friendliness of the insulation is important, so it is better to choose natural heat insulators that meet fire safety standards. Expanded clay, prepared sawdust-cement backfills, and vermiculite are well suited for thermal insulation. They can be installed independently, following installation technology.

When installing insulation, you need to build a protective steel box for the chimney pipe. Expanded clay can be poured into the box. It is necessary to ensure that wooden structures do not touch the chimney.

When insulating with mineral wool, it is better to choose multi-layer installation with overlapping of previous joints. This method will avoid heat leakage through the seams of the insulation. This will not affect the cost of the heat insulator, since it is sold in cubic meters. There is no need to exceed the thickness of the planned layer, but choose a thinner roll of cotton wool.

For bath buildings, foil materials are more relevant , since foil reflects infrared heat rays from the ceiling, improving the heating rate of the steam room. This reduces heating costs. The vapor barrier with foil is laid with the reflective side down. To fix the joints of vapor barrier films, foil tape is used. To form a sealed vapor barrier, the seams are overlapped by 10 cm and then secured.

The thickness of the installed layer of a specific heat insulator is calculated based on climatic conditions and the thermal conductivity coefficient of the material.

The average thickness of the thermal insulation layer for natural insulation materials is 25-35 cm, for artificial materials - 15-20 cm.

The greater the temperature difference between the environment and the heated steam room, the faster the hot air tends to leave the room. Proper sealing of all cracks, gaps and technological openings will prevent rapid heat loss. A monolithic thermal insulation layer with a sealed reflective vapor barrier will significantly reduce heat loss.

Advantages and disadvantages of this option

When deciding to install a floor ceiling in a bathhouse, weigh all its advantages and disadvantages.

The disadvantages of a flat ceiling include:

• Possibility of use only in small baths - with spans up to 2.5 m;
• low strength - the boards of the rough ceiling rest only on the walls, a wooden frame of beams is not used;
• impossibility of using the attic space.

However, all these disadvantages are rather limitations in the use of the design. If you use it appropriately, then only its advantages will be visible. They are:

• simplicity of design;
• ease of installation;
• low cost.

Conclusion: a flat ceiling is the optimal solution for a small bathhouse. They can lay it themselves, without helpers, in the shortest possible time. In addition, the flooring option will help you create a functional ceiling even on a limited budget.

The insulation of the bathhouse ceiling also depends on the roof

It was already mentioned above that there are three ways to install a bath ceiling. In fact, there are two of them - the panel one is rarely used. And the rest are distributed between bathhouses with a cold attic, where they usually make a simple and cheap floor ceiling, and bathhouses with an attic, where hemmed technology is used.

The difference between them is, first of all, that the flooring is not intended for walking on it, so they don’t even reinforce it with beams, they simply put boards on the walls, cover them with paper and put a layer of thermal insulation, often the cheapest, but we have already talked about this.

A hemmed one is much more expensive financially. The previous chapter describes it in all details.

Blitz tips

• To protect sawdust insulation from rodents, mold and bacteria and extend its service life, it is necessary to add 5-10% dry lime.
• After 1-2 years, dry sawdust shrinks and an additional small layer will be required.
• Due to the impediment of fresh sawdust to better bind cement with water, sawdust that has been sitting for more than 2-3 months should be used. For urgent construction, it is possible to add liquid glass.
• Smaller sawdust will require more water to wet the mixture. When using fresh chips, more cement composition is required, which affects the reduction in thermal insulation properties. It is advisable to purchase sawdust of the medium fraction, since fine sawdust involves dustier work, and coarse sawdust has worse thermal insulation properties. It is advisable that the waste undergoes pre-chamber drying, or the shavings should be placed under a canopy and lightly dried without covering them.
• The optimal choice is softwood sawdust due to its resin content, which helps repel bugs and rodents. When using material from deciduous trees, it must be mixed with antiseptic agents or ash.
• If there is debris in the sawdust, it should be selected manually or sifted through a sieve.

Types of insulation for roofs and ceilings

The characteristics that should interest the consumer are the thermal conductivity of the material, density, flammability, toxicity, and changes in properties upon water absorption .

ADVICE! When purchasing any of the thermal insulators, and not only them, ask the sellers for certificates, and then read them carefully.

Polystyrene foam and extruded polystyrene foam

Polystyrene foam and extruded polystyrene foam are the same material, foamed in different ways, and therefore obtained different properties.
The second one is better, but more expensive. It can be found on sale in two types - slabs and granules. Both are suitable for insulation.

But, as mentioned above, the main disadvantage of this thermal insulator is its flammability coupled with the release of substances that are very harmful to humans. However, nowadays everything can be adjusted . And you can find extruded polystyrene foam with flammability classes G1 and B1 (= practically does not burn), which is achieved with the help of modifiers.

At the same time, the other characteristics of extruded polystyrene foam are simply excellent; the service life is up to 40 years! True, you still need to find a manufacturer who maintains good quality.

Let's name one more drawback that is significant for those who are looking for insulation for a bathhouse roof: it does not “breathe,” that is, it does not allow water vapor to pass through it. This means that its insensitivity to water, which is a plus because it retains the properties of a heat insulator, does not prevent it from being a “pest”, that is, the reason why condensation may form in the room.

NOTE! Condensation always forms when the air is saturated with water vapor and there is a significant difference in temperature between inside and outside the room. During the procedures in the bathhouse, the humidity increases in all rooms!

So polystyrene insulation is a big question, even if you don’t use it to insulate the ceiling.

Penoizol

Another type of polystyrene foam is penoizol. But it is worth highlighting in a separate chapter, because it relates to cast-in thermal insulators. By the way, the polyurethane mass is poured in a similar way.

Its main purpose is to fill voids. It is great for filling the space between walls made of two types of bricks. And this point is worth taking into account.

It has better characteristics - lower flammability, it holds a higher temperature without destruction (up to 120 degrees), its moisture absorption is five times higher than that of foam plastic

All this tempts us to try it as a thermal insulator for the ceiling. It might not be such a bad idea, but not over a steam room. toxicity , and neither has the release of harmful substances when heated.

A daunting point may be that its installation requires additional equipment, a fairly powerful compressor, in general, you will have to call a team of specialists with material and equipment. And taking into account the fact that penoizol is still not exactly “sharpened” for a bath, this makes it unprofitable.

Minvata

But this is probably the most favorite option among the people. It is not without many disadvantages, but at the same time it is quite democratic and simple in the case of insulating the roof of a bathhouse with your own hands.

Mineral wool is a product of the melting of rocks, such as basalt. It seems that there is no catch here, but the resulting fibers must be impregnated with something so that they do not crumble, but form a mass of the desired shape and hold it in the future. And it is these impregnations containing formaldehyde that are harmful to humans.

ATTENTION! The release of harmful volatile substances from mineral wool occurs mainly when it is heated. Therefore, in ordinary premises, harm is usually neglected. But for the steam room, mineral wool labeled “for saunas” is used.

However, we are talking here about insulating the bathhouse roof and ceiling. Although the rule of using specialized basalt wool is quite applicable to the ceiling above the steam room.

The second important drawback that is worth knowing about is that the accumulation of condensate in the thickness of mineral wool sharply reduces its thermal insulation properties . But this has already been said. You can combat this with proper ventilation (see, for example, here about ventilation in the steam room), even forced ventilation if necessary.

And the third thing that everyone who has insulated the roof of a bathhouse with mineral wool will encounter sooner or later is that over time it cakes, the vertical blocks settle under the influence of gravity, and when the impregnation disappears, the wool crumbles, the fibers turn into dust. But nothing lasts forever. Therefore, the insulation has to be changed.

CURIOUS! Manufacturers provide a guarantee of several decades of service for their products. Up to half a century!

So, high-quality material, proper ventilation, preventive examinations - and you can forget about the shortcomings. Let's remember that mineral wool is suitable for insulating floor and false ceilings; it can also be placed between the beams of the roof sheathing. Of course, on film, membrane, foil.

Ecowool

Not the most common option. But it’s also good if it’s available. Ecowool is shredded waste paper with reduced flammability. Fluffy, light, but free-flowing if dry. If there is a breeze, it can blow it everywhere.

However, this heat insulator has an important advantage - it can be mixed with water, and the cellulose mass will stick to the wall, for example. This deprives it of mobility and opens up the possibility of working with vertical surfaces. But this is done with special installations by professional insulation specialists.

Insulating the roof with ecowool using the wet method. Cromwell Photos

The advantages of ecowool are that it does not rot, is impregnated with fire retardants (does not burn), is unloved by all types of living creatures, and most importantly, it does not lose its insulating properties when wet, and not only easily absorbs moisture, but also easily releases it.

You can fill the roof of the bathhouse, that is, both types of ceilings. It is especially valuable that the weight is light, and the floor ceiling will not suffer from it.

What to fill with: expanded clay and vermiculite

Since we're on the topic of backfilling, let's name two even more popular materials suitable for these purposes.

Expanded clay is pellets of fired clay with a lot of air bubbles inside. Very light “pebbles” of different sizes. Sold in the form of gravel, crushed stone and sand.

Due to its structure, it can be used exclusively as bulk material, because the creation of expanded clay concrete is not part of our task.

Vermiculite is a mineral belonging to the mica group. That is, it consists of thin plates that separate under the influence of temperature, increasing the volume of the mineral. Such characteristic columns of different sizes are formed. This is called “expanded vermiculite.” In other words, no organic matter, just rock. Therefore it is environmentally friendly.

Expanded vermiculite for roof insulation

It also has other advantages - lightweight, uninteresting for living creatures (from mushrooms to rodents), non-flammable, heat-resistant, etc. There are so many advantages, but there is only one drawback - some deposits also contain asbestos, but this must be checked by manufacturers, and vermiculite with asbestos should not be put on sale. However, give preference to better known manufacturers.

Vermiculite can be either bulk or in the form of slabs, which are made by pressing. So you can use it not only for ceilings, but also to insulate the roof of a bathhouse.

How to insulate a roof with earth

Only the simplest and most common option in the past, how to insulate the roof of a bathhouse, was left without mention. There is no need to buy clay; it can be easily obtained from your own plot under a layer of soil.

However, do not forget that clay is a rather heavy material, with a high density, which gives two bad characteristics at once: high heat capacity (heat will be lost to heat it) and not every ceiling will withstand such weight. (For comparison: a cubic meter of wet clay can weigh about two tons, and a dry one - a hundredweight).

Clay

Therefore, it is correct to insulate the roof in a bathhouse with earth mixed with something else. For example, with sawdust. You will find several recipes for such mixtures on our website in this article.

Clays, by the way, are different everywhere. First of all, it depends on the amount of sand present in the soil. It is quartz that affects the plasticity (also called “fat content”) of clay. The less sand, the more monolithic the drying clay, the more it is, the more it tends to crumble. Any kind is suitable for backfilling; it is better to make a clay castle from plastic clay.

Nowadays this is not the best material for thermal insulation. But almost free (sawdust is cheap, except you’ll spend money on cement if you decide to add it). We believe that the owner of a bathhouse knows better what costs it costs to build it. All other things being equal, expanded clay and vermiculite are superior to clay. But, of course, you can’t dig them up in the garden