Step-by-step instructions for insulating a bathhouse from the inside with your own hands: how and with what
The bathhouse is usually insulated with expanded polystyrene or mineral wool. The materials are of quite high quality, but have their own characteristics. For example, cotton wool absorbs moisture - mandatory waterproofing is required. Expanded polystyrene is not always durable, so it is not used for flooring. Recommendations for choosing a material, as well as step-by-step instructions for insulating a bathhouse from the inside with your own hands can be found in this article.
The content of the article
Which insulation to choose
When planning how to properly insulate a bathhouse from the inside, how to schedule the work, you should first choose the material. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the microclimate in the room:
- the temperature often reaches 60-70 degrees;
- humidity – 60-70% and above, including in the dressing room;
- During the procedure, a very high temperature is required, so it is desirable that the material has a foil surface that reflects heat.
If we talk about the best way to insulate a bathhouse from the inside, it is worth considering such insulation.
Mineral wool
Common materials include basalt, fiberglass and slag. Basalt is produced in the form of slabs or rolls of different thicknesses in the range of 50-100 mm. This method of insulating a bathhouse provides several advantages:
- high strength - can be placed on any surface;
- protection from cold and noise;
- resistance to temperature changes (up to 200 cycles);
- absence of rotting, fungi;
- ease of installation - can be easily cut into fragments of any size.
But if you insulate a steam room in a bathhouse using basalt, you need to understand that the material is quite expensive. In addition, it is not resistant to moisture, so mandatory waterproofing is required.
Another type of mineral wool is fiberglass. It is more affordable and also has the following advantages:
- low thermal conductivity;
- the material is not flammable;
- resistance to fungi, mold;
- mechanical strength.
But the material is dangerous in contact with skin. Therefore, you need to thoroughly understand how to insulate a bathhouse from the inside; be sure to purchase special clothing, gloves and a mask. In addition, fiberglass is not resistant to moisture - the use of waterproofing is mandatory.
Slag wool is even more affordable. It is easy to install, and the material is resistant to rodents and mold. However, this is not the best way to insulate a bathhouse from the inside, since there are quite a few disadvantages:
- cannot withstand sudden temperature changes;
- the material accumulates a lot of moisture;
- During installation, be sure to use a respirator and special clothing;
- The composition contains formaldehyde and phenol - these are toxic substances, so using such insulation indoors is not always safe.
Expanded clay
There is also an option to insulate the bathhouse from the inside with your own hands - using expanded clay. These are small porous clay stones, which are poured in a high layer of 20-30 cm. For rooms with a low ceiling, this option is clearly not suitable, but if the bathhouse is spacious, expanded clay is quite suitable. It has quite a lot of advantages:
- contains no hazardous substances;
- protects well from the cold;
- not attractive to rodents;
- mildew resistant;
- refractory;
- affordable.
At the same time, the material absorbs water, so waterproofing is required. In addition, it is free-flowing - suitable only for the floor, and the insulation for the walls of the bath should be different, for example, made of mineral wool.
Styrofoam
Insulation of a steam room in a bathhouse is often performed using polystyrene foam, since it is affordable, easy to install and has a number of advantages:
- resistant to high humidity - when absorbed, it almost does not increase in volume (maximum 0.2%);
- durable;
- very low weight;
- not flammable;
- Mold resistant.
However, it is worth keeping in mind that already at 95 degrees the foam loses its chemical stability and begins to release phenol. In addition, it does not allow moisture to pass through, so a ventilation system must be provided in the room.
Expanded polystyrene
When considering how to insulate a brick bathhouse, you can choose expanded polystyrene. It is also resistant to moisture and temperature changes, and has additional advantages:
- mechanical strength (suitable also for floors);
- durable, lasts 40-50 years or more;
- resistant to rodents, fungi, mold;
- has low weight;
- easy to install.
But such material is quite expensive, especially when compared with polystyrene foam. In addition, it is not resistant to fire - under the influence of an open flame it begins to melt and release dangerous organic substances.
Step-by-step instruction
After selecting the appropriate material, you can begin work. Pre-prepare tools and available materials:
- electric saw;
- screwdriver, set of bits;
- stapler for construction work;
- level;
- knife;
- aluminum tape;
- self-tapping screws;
- vapor barrier material;
- foil;
- timber with a cross section of 50*50 mm for the construction of the frame;
- 20 mm board (a counter-lattice is made from it);
- roulette.
Step-by-step instructions for insulating a steam room from the inside look like this:
- They take the timber, cut it into fragments and assemble the frame, fastening it with self-tapping screws.
- Place the frame on the wall surface and check the correct position with a level. The insulation for the steam room from the inside is cut according to the size of the cells of the structure.
- They install the embedded beams. They play the role of additional fasteners in those parts of the frame where it is planned to install a shelf, lamp, etc.
- To properly insulate the bathhouse from the inside, you should place guides on the ceiling - also based on wooden beams. They must run strictly parallel to the floor, so you need to constantly check with a level.
- Now you need to lay the vapor barrier directly on the wall surface. They are laid overlapping so that the sheets intersect by at least 10 cm. They are fastened with a stapler, having first made sure that they are in the correct direction inside and outside the room (for this there are special markings right on the sheets).
- Now you need to figure out how to insulate the bathhouse inside. For example, polystyrene foam is often used for ceilings. They lay it in two layers - first between the space of the ceiling and the frame, then in the cells between the beams.
- If you study the insulation of a steam room in a brick bathhouse from the inside step by step, you must say that the next step will be the installation of foil. To do this, use kraft paper; it is attached to a wooden beam using a stapler. The canvases are also overlapped by at least 10 cm.
- The joints are fixed with metallized tape.
- Mount the counter-lattice on the basis of a 20 mm planed board. This is the last stage of insulating a brick bath, after which you can move on to finishing.
Thus, insulating a brick bathhouse from the inside can be done independently.But in any case, there is always high humidity in such a room, so you should not only use waterproofing, but also make a ventilation system. It is also important to constantly ventilate the room when it has not cooled down for half an hour. This will maximize the service life of the insulation.