- From timber
When setting up a steam room, it is very important to take care of the quality of its thermal insulation. Therefore, today we will tell you how to insulate walls in a bathhouse from the inside. Let's consider what materials to choose depending on the nature of the structure, what technology is used to lay them and the rules followed. Let us immediately note that it is ineffective to carry out such work outside the building, no matter what it is made of, timber, concrete or brick.
Advantages of internal insulation
- Reduces fuel consumption (either solid fuel, such as wood or coal, or gas) and reduces heating time.
- It is the key to the desired microclimate in the steam room. You will forget about drafts, dampness, cold, and you will be able to feel comfortable in any season.
- Ensures proper circulation of hot air, preventing condensed moisture from settling on various surfaces of the rooms. Thanks to this, the cladding remains dry, resists mold and fungi, does not rot, does not deteriorate longer and looks beautiful in a new way.
Which insulation is better depending on the type of building
When choosing insulation for the walls of a bathhouse, it is important to consider what material it is built from.
From timber
In the case of a durable type of wood and a relatively large cross-section of each element of the frame, it is enough to simply caulk the cracks and treat the walls with impregnations against fungus and mold, as well as compounds that protect against moisture and fire.
In other situations, all rooms (especially the steam room) must be insulated with basalt wool - in one layer, using the “Pie” technology (we will consider it separately below), additionally laying foil material to minimize the harmful effects of steam.
Made of brick
It freezes quickly in the cold season. This means that measures need to be taken to ensure that a suitable microclimate inside is maintained even in the harshest winter. To do this you can:
- install second walls around the entire perimeter;
- or make a double thermal insulation layer.
To create the sheathing, it is better to use wood rather than metal, since the latter gets very hot during operation. Naturally, it is recommended to treat the prepared structure with agents against fire, rotting, and insects.
Made from concrete
In this case, you can insulate the walls in the steam room of the bathhouse from the inside and outside. Such a serious approach will result in the absence of problems with the masonry getting wet (due to condensed steam), and will become a measure that effectively prevents rapid destruction.
Here the craftsman upholsters the surfaces in the room with 10 cm thick mineral wool (or an analogue suitable in structure), and from the street he arranges a hinged ventilated facade, that is, he fixes the same basalt sheets and covers them with clapboard or siding. The method is relatively expensive, but it guarantees the correct microclimate.
Made from expanded clay concrete blocks
Here you will also need moisture-resistant material, but in combination with high-quality hydro- and vapor barrier. Plus, it is worth installing additional ventilation - this will help level out the increased level of humidity. It is quite acceptable to lay foil tape in as thin a layer as possible.
Materials
On the modern market there is a large number of insulating materials for interior work, with different raw materials and costs.
Traditional
Natural, environmentally friendly sealants are still used in the outback. They have been used to insulate wooden baths and other buildings for hundreds of years.
Such natural materials include:
- flax tow;
- felt;
- moss.
Natural raw materials do not last very long; If it is mainly birds who like to take it away from the outside, then from all sides of the log house the natural seals are attacked by rodents, insects, microorganisms, and fungi. To some extent, impregnation with an antiseptic helps to save the situation. In general, the procedure for insulating a wooden bathhouse with these materials takes a lot of time and gives short-lived results.
Modern
It is more convenient to use mineral wool and synthetic polymers to insulate a wooden bath; they last much longer.
Among artificial insulation for steam rooms, the following types are most popular:
- regular foam;
- extruded polystyrene, which is better known as penoplex;
- expanded polystyrene roof slabs;
- expanded clay flooring materials.
Any type of heat-insulating product must be resistant to ignition, have low thermal conductivity, high heat capacity, and mechanical strength. It is desirable that the insulation be resistant to microbes and atmospheric influences. In all these parameters, mineral wool and expanded clay occupy a high place.
How to properly insulate the walls of a bathhouse from the inside
First, let's talk about the general principles. According to them, the greatest attention should be paid to the key rooms - the steam room and the wash room. All calculations - the quantity and volume of components - should be carried out with a reserve, that is, taking into account rough consumption. It is better to immediately refuse cheap impregnations, compositions, solutions - this is the case when it is better to spend money, but make a decision for the long term, because if repairs are needed soon, you will overpay much more than you saved.
When choosing a material, you need to choose one that has the following characteristics:
- non-toxic and environmentally friendly;
- low hygroscopicity;
- resistance to high temperatures and steam;
- the ability to maintain shape for a long time and restore it after physical stress;
- fire-fighting properties.
Layout features
In the old rural baths, the exit from the steam room was almost immediately onto the street, which was well remembered by viewers of domestic films in which steamed heroes jump out of the steam room into the snowdrifts.
Modern owners make buildings more spacious, providing not only a steam room, but also a wash room, a dressing room, and a locker room. It is important not to overdo it in this matter, but to make the room after a preliminary calculation of the number of possible visitors. The extra space will increase heat loss, fuel consumption for heating and the volume of materials for insulating the room.
It is appropriate to place the steam room away from the entrance so that cold air does not enter it. At a minimum, you need to make a vestibule in front of the steam room if the area of other rooms at the entrance is planned to be small.
The doors in the bathhouse should not be very wide, but with a mandatory high threshold, because cool air always blows into the gap under the door.
Note! A square room with a stove near the entrance is best heated with steam.
With the correct structure design, insulating a wooden bathhouse is not difficult.
“Pie” insulation technology
It is called so because, upon completion of the work, the wall is covered with several layers at once: thermal insulation, vapor barrier, cladding. You should start from top to bottom.
First of all, attach the bars to the load-bearing surfaces - at a distance from each other 1 cm less than the width of the mineral wool. Having created the frame in this way, you mount basalt slabs on it by surprise - carefully, without crushing the edge, ensuring a tight fit. Do not forget that gaps are places where moisture accumulates and “cold bridges” form.
Cover the resulting structure with a vapor barrier, so that its foil side faces the inside of the room, and be sure to seal all joints and seams with special tape. Then you perform the sheathing - directly on the wood of the still protruding base, at a distance of 5-10 cm from the previous layer. This way you will create a buffer zone in which the condensate will drain without coming into contact with the lining and without subjecting it to rot. And to finish, close the “Pie” with the lining.
Why we recommend using LOGICPIR insulation
LOGICPIR is a polymer material with a porous internal structure, lined with aluminum foil on both sides. At high temperatures, catalysts and additives form closed cells filled with low thermal conductivity gas.
In addition, this rigid insulation is very easy to process, cut and install. At the same time, it does not generate dust, does not prick, and does not irritate the mucous membranes of the person doing the installation. And it performs two functions at once: insulation and vapor barrier.
Ceiling insulation
It is carried out from top to bottom: it is simply more convenient to carry out work in this way, because it is easier to descend systematically than to take on one surface, skip another, and then return to it. It is this order that makes it possible to ensure the same microclimate at every point of the building - there will be no hot or cold zones. True, for this it is necessary to lay the materials overlapping, so that later it is easier to fasten them together.
Craftsmen thermally insulate the ceiling according to the following scheme:
- cover its surface overlapping with roll materials of your choice;
- the bars are mounted, forming a frame;
- place foil on top, covering all connections;
- glue the joints with aluminum tape (several times), evaluate the tightness;
- carry out installation;
- lined with clapboard finished to look like wood.
Finishing work on the roof
The attic can be used for various purposes. You can store bath equipment and unnecessary things on it, or you can equip it as an attic. In all cases, it can serve as an additional insulating layer that will protect the structure from the influence of heat and cold. Therefore, it is necessary to spend some time to ensure good thermal insulation of the roof.
To insulate it, you can use the following materials:
- Styrofoam;
- foamed polyurethane;
- basalt or glass wool.
It is mandatory to install a membrane film to drain condensate outside. You can sheathe the inner surface with plywood, boards or waterproof plasterboard. The choice depends on the purpose of the attic.
Thermal insulation of a bathhouse is a painstaking but necessary process. High-quality work will ensure comfortable rest for people and a long service life of the structure.
Floor insulation
The technology is the same, regardless of the coating, concrete or wood. The only difference is the thickness of the pillow. And to control the evenness of the backfill, it is worth first applying markings to the base, conditionally dividing it into meter-long sections. If you plan to isolate the soil right away, then first compact it, cover the supporting surfaces around it with impregnations to protect it from moisture, sprinkle it with a layer of sand (10 cm), fill it with water, cover it with an overlap with roofing material and secure it with tape.
The order of the main work carried out by specialists is as follows:
- laying a vapor barrier film on the base, stretching it so that the edges along the walls are higher than the floor;
- installation of plasterboard profiles or other suitable guides and securing them with screws;
- placement of beacons at the required height in order to further control the level of the pillow;
- pouring expanded clay and leveling it using a slats or rake;
- arrangement of reinforcing mesh, filling it with concrete screed;
- laying the finishing layer.
You also need to know how and with what to insulate the walls of a bathhouse from the inside, not only in the steam room, but also in other rooms. The materials are the same, the general scheme of the wizard’s actions is as follows:
- waterproofing;
- placement of mineral wool;
- vapor barrier;
- finishing the resulting structure with clapboard.
This sequence of work is suitable for a dressing room, rest room and any other room that will not be used in conditions of high humidity and temperature.
To conclude, here are a few useful videos on the topic.
Useful video
Of course, this is an advertisement from TechnoNIKOL, but they didn’t lie anywhere in the instructions; the pie is shown clearly and correctly:
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We recommend that you read other articles that provide information on the construction and arrangement of a bathhouse:
- application and features of the production of impregnated wood;
- a list of the best antiseptics for baths and saunas;
- bath furniture;
- bath windows;
- bath painting options;
- bathhouse roofs.
