Often owners of wooden cottages are faced with such a problem as frost. No matter how high-quality the walls are, in the fierce winter, the cold makes itself felt. Some owners heat the house with fireplaces or radiators, but this heat is enough for literally half a day. In such a situation, it is necessary to warm the log house from the outside or from the inside. In this article we will talk about how to insulate a log house with your own hands.
Warming a house from logs outside
Thermal insulation of a house from the outside is considered one of the most effective ways. It allows you to normalize the temperature in all rooms of your house, so you get warm in the winter and pleasant coolness in the summer. Warming a log home requires a careful selection of materials. Choosing high-quality materials for external insulation, you can save on electricity, since with such thermal insulation you simply forget about heaters and air conditioners.
The choice of material for insulation is the main aspect in the insulation of the house. The best option, of course, is mineral wool. It is the best material specifically for wooden walls. High vapor permeability provides an excellent microclimate inside the house. Excellent fixation and elasticity will make the process of warming the house quick and easy, which is important, especially when you do it yourself. Moreover, insulation of your house with mineral wool provides excellent sound insulation, so you just forget about the noise from the street.
There is also material, the use of which is strictly not recommended for the walls of a log house. It is, of course, about polystyrene foam - the material that many insulate their wooden houses by mistake. It is more suitable for stone houses, but in no case for wooden. The thing is that polystyrene foam does not let air through, which is its main disadvantage, if we consider it for warming a log house. After a while, the walls of the house become covered with fungus, which is simply unacceptable.
Mineral wool wall insulation
As you already understood, mineral wool is the best option for the walls of a wooden house. If you do insulation with your own hands, you need to know exactly how much material you need.
Minvata is sold in a wide variety of variations: it can be found in the form of plates or rolls. All these types have their purpose, but rolled mineral wool is not the most convenient option, it can be used for uneven surfaces, protrusions or depressions. It is best to use mineral wool in the form of plates, but it must be placed on a house with a flat surface, it may be necessary to work a little on correcting the evenness of the walls.
To calculate the exact amount of material for future insulation, you must take into account the thickness of the walls in the house. Also, you should not forget about the area in which you live, since if your winters are cold, warming should be done thickened.
Of the tools you need: a stepladder, a plumb line, a construction stapler and a level. You should also buy materials for fasteners: self-tapping screws, waterproofing film, material for the lathing (bars or profiles) and plastic anchors. Do not forget that doing insulation with your own hands is a rather time-consuming process, so if you initially know that you can’t cope, then it is better to entrust this matter to professionals.
Step-by-step instructions for wall insulation with mineral wool
If you still decide to do insulation with your own hands, and are sure that you have basic knowledge, then let's analyze this process in stages.
Stage 1. Since we are talking about warming a wooden house, before starting the process of warming itself, we must cover the surface of the walls with antifungal agents. In the building materials store you will find a primer or emulsion - feel free to take one thing, but first calculate the amount of required material. After you apply the product, wait 2-3 days so that the surfaces dry out and your efforts are not in vain. Do not forget that the surface of the walls must be absolutely clean and dry, only this way you can achieve full fixation.
Stage 2. At this stage you are building lathing for thermal insulation. You need to correctly calculate the distance between the bars, for this you need to know the length and width of the insulation boards. The bars are attached to each other using self-tapping screws, the first rail is fixed to the wall of the house. Do not forget to follow the verticality, use the level.
Stage 3. The fourth stage can be considered the most basic. Here you lay mineral wool boards into the crate you previously built. When laying, there should be no gaps and gaps, do everything as carefully as possible, if necessary, you can cut the plates using a sharp knife.
Stage 3. At this stage you install a waterproofing superdiffusion membrane. It will protect the insulation from getting wet and will not prevent the removal of excess moisture from it. The material itself is attached with a building stapler to the crate. Then glue the joints with mounting tape or tape.
Stage 5. This stage is final. The insulation itself is completed exterior finish. Finishing material is mounted on a rail, which is mounted on a crate. You can use a siding, lining or a facade board - all that you only wish.
Thus, you get excellent external insulation made by yourself.
Insulation of the house from the inside of the logs
If you decide to insulate your house from the inside, then such a solution is also possible. By taking care of the insulation of the whole house, you can save on electricity in the future. In order to insulate your home from the inside, you need to choose the right material. First of all, it should be a good heat insulator and perform its function qualitatively. Also be completely environmentally friendly and be safe for human health. And, of course, it must be fire resistant and be resistant to mechanical damage.
let's consider all options for materials for internal insulation of the house.
- Glass wool - the cheapest option of all. She does her job well. But unfortunately, it is not safe for humans. After installing it from the inside, it is covered with a special film so that small particles of glass wool do not get into the air.
- Basalt wool slabs - often used in construction. This material is completely environmentally friendly, it also boasts fire resistance and excellent sound insulation.
- Styrofoam plates - are the worst option for warming the house from the inside. The fact is that polystyrene is a barrier to steam, and the log house thus insulated will stop “breathing”.
- Mineral wool - the best option of all. However, do not forget that mineral fibers, getting into the air, do not in the best way affect the safety of human breathing. Therefore, be sure to cover such a heater from the inside with a special layer - a windproof vapor-permeable film. Otherwise, there are no problems.
- Ecowool - eco-friendly material that is applied by spraying.
Do not forget about wood processing. It does not matter where you do the insulation, inside or outside the house, if we are talking about a wooden house, then it must be processed. First of all, it is necessary to process with antifungal and fire-retardant impregnations. You can get them in construction stores. Saving on such substances is not appropriate here, you must be sure that this tool will protect your home from fungus or fire.
Whatever material you choose, remember that its installation is a very important aspect. After all, warming the house from the inside is not only thermal insulation, but also an aesthetic appearance. Do not forget to follow all the rules and guidelines, and then the thermal insulation of your home will bring you warmth in the winter and coolness in the summer. Installation of these materials requires certain skills and is similar to installing insulation of a house from the outside.
If you decide to make insulation in your home, then choose extremely reliable and safe materials. Only in this way can you provide yourself with safe heat. Warm you winter!