Wall insulation on the balcony step by step. How to insulate a balcony for a living room? Features of the choice of the design of the balcony parapet and glazing

A balcony or loggia is an unheated room in an apartment. Therefore, they are a source of heat loss from an apartment or house. Even a well-glazed balcony lets in a significant amount of heat.

To avoid this, the balcony or loggia is insulated from the inside. It should be noted that there are different approaches to warming this type of room.

The type and method of warming the balcony and loggia depends on:

  • intended purpose:
  • the balcony is not intended for storage, they are insulated in order to reduce heat loss from the room. In this case, work is carried out according to a scheme similar to outdoor heating. That is, only one side of it, adjacent to the wall of the room, is insulated;
  • the balcony is for storage. Insulated around the perimeter of all surfaces. Since there should not be a high temperature here, the requirements for heat-insulating materials are not particularly high;
  • balcony, which is a continuation of the living room or serving as an office, library, gym, etc. In this case, heat loss through windows and all surfaces is eliminated. And as the materials used, heat insulators with high density and considerable thickness are used. Particular attention is paid to the thermal conductivity of the material and the rules for its installation.
  • heating budget. It determines both the type of insulation, and the area of ​​​​insulation, and further finishing. It also determines whether to entrust the work to professionals or to do the insulation of the balcony with your own hands;
  • season. Low temperatures can withstand any kind of insulation. But solutions, adhesives and foam must be used taking into account the temperature environment. As a rule, "winter varieties" are more expensive. And the duration of work in winter is more significant;

Consider ways to insulate a balcony using various heaters and give some important practical advice how to make loggia insulation more effective. We will proceed from the fact that it is necessary to qualitatively and inexpensively insulate the balcony on all surfaces inside - walls, ceiling and floor.

Insulation requirement:

  1. light weight. In order not to weigh down the balcony, which is much lower in strength than the loggia;
  2. small volume. In order not to occupy the useful living space of a balcony or loggia;
  3. low cost;
  4. security. Fire and environmental;
  5. opportunity to do the work yourself.

Insulation for balconies and loggias - types and properties

If you have not yet decided what is the best way to insulate a balcony or loggia from the inside, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with popular thermal insulation materials. Each of them has advantages and disadvantages, which are in characteristics, cost and installation methods.

Styrofoam

Durable, dense material that does not support combustion well. Resistant to moisture, has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity.

Styrofoam

Dense heater. It has the lowest thermal conductivity, light weight, high strength and low cost.

Basalt and mineral wool

Soft insulation. Works due to its structure. Fibers arranged in a chaotic manner contain air, which does not allow heat to penetrate through the cotton wool. Working with cotton wool, you need to create an additional frame.

Polyurethane foam (PPU)

Sprayed insulation. The material is good because it does not allow moisture to pass through, makes it possible to adjust the thickness of the insulation and allows you to get a coating without seams. And this, in turn, eliminates the appearance of cold bridges.

Penofol

multilayer material. The polystyrene backing keeps the heat in, and the aluminum screen, which is like a thermal mirror, allows the heat to be reflected inside the house. Can be used on its own or in combination with other heaters.

Expanded clay

Bulk heater. It has a porous structure, thanks to which it retains heat well. Used for floor insulation.

Using these materials to insulate balconies and loggias, you can additionally provide good sound insulation (provided that they are glazed with plastic windows).

A mandatory accompanying attribute when insulating from the inside with most of these materials is a vapor and hydrobarrier film or a superdiffusion membrane. It is designed to protect the insulation, especially soft from getting wet and condensation.

The material was prepared for the site www.site

How to insulate a balcony with your own hands - step by step instructions

  • Clearing the premises. It is impossible to do quality work if you have to constantly move things from place to place.
  • Crack sealing. We assume that high-quality double-glazed windows are installed on the windows. In any case, there are gaps between the balcony and the wall, at the junction of the ceiling and the floor. So they need to be repaired using foam, sealants or solutions. Slots of considerable size are sealed with pieces of foam.
  • Balcony / loggia waterproofing. Needed to keep water out. Moreover, it can enter through micropores in concrete. For this purpose, a deep penetrating primer can be used.
  • In the case of using cotton wool, it is necessary to install a waterproofing film. It is fastened with an overlap and secured with tape.
  • Installing a heater. There are two methods here:
  • frame method. In this case, you must first equip the frame from treated with an antiseptic wooden planks or galvanized profiles. Boards are more popular because they are cheaper and allow you to adjust the thickness of the frame. The most commonly used beam is 50x50. A heater is inserted into the formed cells.
  • Frameless method. More preferable, but only suitable for rigid insulation. This is due to the fact that the material of the frame with the frame method remains not covered with insulation. That is, wood or metal serve as cold bridges and conduct heat well. Therefore, in the vast majority of cases, rigid heaters are mounted without arranging the frame.
  • Laying penofol, vapor barrier film or superdiffusion membrane.
  • Floor insulation is in progress.

Insulation of the balcony and loggia with mineral wool

The cotton wool is laid so that it fits snugly against the elements of the frame, but is not “rammed”, i.e. no need to further compact it. From this, the structure of the mineral wool will change and part of the air will evaporate. This will reduce the thermal insulation properties of wool. In order for the cotton wool to hold securely on the wall, and especially on the ceiling, it must be additionally fixed using wire or umbrellas (dowels with a wide cap).

Mineral wool fixed with "umbrellas"

Sometimes cotton wool is brought behind the frame, as shown in the figure. Then the elements of the frame are held by cotton wool. However, professionals do not recommend using this approach for low-density wool (less than 50 kg/m3), since wool held in only a few places will settle over time, exposing part of the wall to cold air.

Cotton wool is covered with a vapor barrier film. Then the counter-lattice is stuffed. It allows you to protect cotton wool from touching finishing material and avoid the appearance of a dew point in this place.

In more detail, the stages of installing cotton wool are presented in the diagram.

  1. floor base
  2. floor joists
  3. frame
  4. Basalt wool
  5. Vapor barrier film
  6. Control grille
  7. Finishing material

Insulation of the balcony with polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam

Rigid insulation is also placed in the frame sections and fixed on foam or special glue. The insulation is not laid close to the frame, but with a gap of 5-10 mm. The gap is subsequently blown out with foam, and the foam sheet is additionally attached with a plastic dowel - an umbrella (fungus).

Fastening foam plastic in a frame way

Fastening polystyrene foam in a frame way

The foam sheets are tightly pressed against each other, and the joints are blown with foam.

Expanded polystyrene sheets are joined according to the "groove-comb" principle.

The sputtering method stands apart in this group. Such heat-insulating material as polyurethane foam is applied to the wall precisely by spraying. Relatively new material on the market is quickly gaining its fans among professionals and amateurs. Because it allows you to perform insulation without additional preparation of the base. The high speed of work execution - less than one day - also speaks in favor of the PPU. Among the disadvantages are the high cost and the inability to do the work yourself without special equipment.

  • Firstly, reliable protection of the insulation from moisture;
  • Secondly, additional internal insulation;
  • Thirdly, the foil reflects 90% of the heat back. What is very important for a balcony or loggia, which, by law, cannot have their own heating sources.

The loggia could well be called an additional room in the apartment, but, unfortunately, many people use it only in summer time, since it initially does not have insulation, and heating batteries are not brought there.


Modern way insulation - polyurethane foam spraying

Polyurethane foam is sprayed onto the walls with the help of special equipment, and profile companies are engaged in such insulation.

However, before inviting them to spray such a heater, the walls must be prepared by making a crate on them. It will be a kind of frame for a sprayed and expanding heat insulator, as well as for fixing a decorative finishing material.

The advantage of this method of insulation is that when sprayed, the material, expanding, closes all the cracks, making the surface absolutely not blown through, without cold bridges. Polyurethane foam covers not only the walls, but also the ceiling and floor.

Video - How polyurethane foam is sprayed

Design solutions for the design of the loggia

I would like to show several options. Perhaps, having started the process of turning a cold room into a usable area, someone will be inspired by one of the ideas developed by the designers.


In this case, a standard loggia with a small footage is presented, transformed into a cozy lounge. Here you can retire with a book or laptop and delve into reading. If a large family lives in an apartment, usually each of its members does what they love, and sometimes it is difficult to find a cozy place to sit in silence. An insulated loggia will be an ideal option for this.

In such a room, you can place a small TV and enjoy your favorite programs or sit with needlework, comfortably picking up your legs on a comfortable chair. The main thing is that extra space appears, which can serve all family members in turn for doing what they love.

original version– the loggia turns into a stylish bar

Such option is suitable for apartments in which the door to the loggia is arranged in the kitchen. In this case, it can become a dining room, especially since most of the kitchens in the apartments are very small.

If apartment owners often like to hold parties, the loggia window sill can easily replace the bar counter.

You can also have a romantic dinner here. The evening city, which offers a wonderful view, and a pleasant summer air will create the necessary mood for this. In winter, it is pleasant to sit at the counter, sipping coffee and looking at the opening wide panorama outside the window.

Glass sliding doors installed between the kitchen and the loggia will help to combine or delimit the premises, depending on the need.

In this version, it was combined with the living room, and the wall, which previously served as a separating element between the two rooms, became a unifying one, as it was transformed into a comfortable table.

The area of ​​the former loggia in this layout can be used as an office with a comfortable desk, as well as hobbies when you don’t want someone to interfere.

And, of course, the combination of the loggia and the room will increase the total space by opening a large window. The room will be more illuminated, which will help save on electricity.

Additional living space can be adapted to various activities, for example, on a loggia winter Garden, workshop or computer room. Therefore, if the apartment is equipped with a loggia, but it has not yet been insulated, you need to urgently get down to business and expand the area of ​​\u200b\u200byour home due to the unused functional premises.

Video - How the loggia is insulated

In this article, we will talk about how to protect the walls of the loggia from the penetration of cold, and also give advice on what tools and materials will be useful to you for this purpose. But first I would like to dwell on those problems that will have to be overcome in the process of work.

Common Mistakes

A serious problem is created by condensate, which forms from the inside on the cold surface of the walls and ceiling. As a result, damp areas appear, which very quickly become covered with a layer of mold. This happens due to poor ventilation, improper insulation and heating systems.

When the ventilation of the room does not work correctly, the air quickly moves from the warm part of the apartment to the cold, i.e. to the loggia. There, excess moisture settles on the coldest surfaces. Avoid this negative effect help ordinary doors that separate rooms with different temperature conditions and, consequently, with different humidity.

Insulation systems also cause a lot of trouble. If, for example, the insulation of the walls and floor was done incorrectly, then moisture will certainly leave its marks on the problem areas of the loggia.


If you decide to save on foam, and instead sealed the seams between the plates with a putty mixture, then condensation is very likely to settle in these places with all the ensuing consequences. It is better not to make such mistakes at all, since it will be very difficult to eliminate them. Therefore, it is very important to adhere to the technology of all insulation processes.

Often the problem is a poor-quality loggia heating system. If this process occurs only through warm air from the next room, then mold will definitely form in the cold corners of the outdoor room. Therefore, it is advisable to start wall insulation with floor insulation on the loggia.

This is also important in order to comply with building codes, because the installation of water heating on balconies is prohibited. A well-equipped warm floor is sensitive to temperature changes in its various areas and automatically eliminates this imbalance.

Silence

Wall insulation, in addition to its main purpose, has other positive effects. It becomes much quieter on the loggia, which means that the noise level is significantly reduced in the rest of the room.

After all, it is the loggia that is exposed to numerous noise influences from the outside.

Material selection

The modern market of thermal insulation materials provides customers with huge selection, in which it is quite difficult for a beginner to understand, so it is better to seek advice from specialists. Many of them are advised to opt for extruded polystyrene foam or, as it is called in everyday life, penoplex.


This material has excellent heat-saving properties, high strength and low hygroscopicity. In addition, it is easy to process, featuring high environmental standards and chemical neutrality.

Other types of foam are widely used as a heater, however, unlike foam plastic, they have more modest thermal insulation characteristics. Often for and loggias use penofol and mineral wool.

Wall insulation

Insulation of the walls of the balcony consists of several stages. Let's consider each of them in detail.

It is possible to successfully insulate a wall only if the corresponding preparatory work. Do not be too lazy to spend time preparing, this will provide an excellent result.


First of all, thoroughly clean the walls of the old coating. It is good if, before warming, you replace outdated window structures with double-glazed windows, and also remove the old mounting foam from the frames.

For this, it is best to use a clerical knife. If there are significant mold formations on the inside of the walls, they must be eliminated. In this case, a fungicide spray will do.
Then you should carefully mark the lines for fixing the foam sheets.

Laying the insulating layer

At first, warming a loggia may seem like a rather complicated and time-consuming process. However, if you decide to try, you will quickly realize that there are no particular difficulties here. All operations are quickly mastered and do not require special construction skills.

From the balcony it will also be possible to make a comfortable and useful room. For example, equip it with an office, a workshop, a small sports section or a comfortable lounge.

The balcony is the most vulnerable room in the apartment, which often suffers from severe frost and wind. And if earlier it often served as a kind of pantry, storing all the necessary (and often even unnecessary) things, now many people are turning the loggia into a full-fledged room.

The only difficulty that residents face is that it is almost impossible to be on the balcony in winter - frost and strong wind create a beautiful picture outside the window, but a cold atmosphere on the loggia. However, today it is possible to prevent this problem. A huge number of thermal insulation materials make it easy and quick to insulate the balcony with your own hands.

To date, there are a huge number of options than to insulate a balcony from the inside. The choice of one or another option may depend on many factors:

  1. How much are you willing to spend on insulation?
  2. climate.
  3. Building type.
  4. your personal preference.
  5. Material resistance to frost, wind, moisture.

One way or another, before proceeding with the insulation of the loggia, it is important to study in detail all the popular materials. This is the only way you can choose the option that suits you best. We suggest you familiarize yourself with the most common heaters.

Expanded clay

It is made of clay, therefore it is considered an environmentally friendly and safe material. Expanded clay is a small and light porous granules. A similar weight and structure of the material can be achieved thanks to special technology clay firing. The raw material is first heated to about 1000 degrees, as a result of which voids are formed inside, providing heat and sound insulation. Expanded clay is used to insulate walls, floors, ceilings or even the foundation of a country house.

Advantages:

  • affordable cost;
  • long service life;
  • resistance to mold and fungus;
  • the ability to take the necessary form;
  • light weight.

Disadvantages:

  • increased degree of moisture permeability;
  • rather complicated installation of the material;
  • expanded clay is used primarily for floor insulation and is not suitable for other surfaces.

Mineral wool

The most common insulation for walls and floors. Outwardly, it resembles a thick canvas, which consists of many randomly intertwined molecules. The raw material for mineral wool is glass, rocks or slag. In order for the fibers to be securely connected to each other, they are impregnated special blends based on oils and alcohol. Mineral wool itself is divided into several other types:

  • glass wool (consists of glass, stove and limestone);
  • stone wool (made from basalt rocks);
  • slag wool (produced from blast-furnace slag).

Advantages:

  • low level of thermal conductivity;
  • compliance with all fire safety standards;
  • is not affected (deformed) by sudden temperature changes, heating and cooling;
  • resistance to chemical and mechanical damage;
  • vapor permeability;
  • ease of installation.

Disadvantages:

  • moisture permeability (which can be reduced with the help of special water-repellent agents);
  • great weight.

Styrofoam

Perhaps the lightest thermal insulation material. It is a foamed mass, which is more than 90% filled with air. It is thanks to this technology that it is possible to achieve a good result and with high quality. The popularity of polystyrene foam as a heater is also due to the large choice of material. It is divided into the following categories:

  • sheet;
  • polystyrene in balls;
  • extruded polystyrene foam (which we will talk about a little later);
  • liquid foam;
  • foam formwork.

Advantages:

  • low cost compared to other heaters;
  • light weight of the material;
  • good thermal insulation properties, allowing the use of a thinner layer of insulation;
  • versatility (suitable for floor, ceiling and wall insulation);
  • long service life (up to 30 years);
  • resistance to the appearance of harmful microorganisms;
  • ease of installation.

Disadvantages:

  • release of toxic substances during combustion;
  • poor vapor barrier;
  • release of harmful substances even at high temperatures (for cheaper options);
  • absorbs moisture;
  • resistant to mechanical and chemical damage.

Extruded polystyrene foam

Today, many people prefer to insulate the balcony with polystyrene foam. This material is a subspecies of foam and is also characterized by low weight and good thermal insulation properties. Comparing polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, it can be noted that the materials have both common features, and some differences. For example, the texture of the latter is not granular, but more even.

Advantages:

  • low degree of vapor permeability;
  • material strength;
  • lack of water absorption, which allows the use of expanded polystyrene without prior waterproofing;
  • low degree of thermal conductivity;
  • compliance with all fire safety requirements (incombustibility);
  • resistance to high and low temperatures;
  • environmental friendliness;
  • ease of installation;
  • resistance to mechanical damage.

Disadvantages:

  • poor vapor barrier;
  • high cost of the material;
  • instability to the action of sunlight (corrected by special processing of the material);
  • additional costs for arranging the frame or buying glue.

polyurethane foam

The basis for polyurethane foam is a subspecies of plastic, which has a foamed structure. Like some previous heaters, this material is 90% composed of a gaseous substance with which all its cells are filled. The use of various technologies helped create several types of polyurethane:

  1. Elastic (in other words - foam rubber), which fills sofas and armchairs, and is also used to make washcloths, shoe linings, etc.
  2. Rigid - actively used for heat and sound insulation at home.

Advantages:

  • mounted on any material (concrete, metal, glass, wood, brick, etc.);
  • light weight, which does not weigh down the surface;
  • able to significantly strengthen the surface;
  • resistance to sudden changes in temperature, extreme heat and frost;
  • compliance with all fire safety requirements;
  • due to the one-piece construction, no seams or joints appear on the surface.

Disadvantages:

  • not resistant to sunlight;
  • although the material does not burn, but in an open fire it begins to smolder strongly. Therefore, you should not install polyurethane foam in rooms with a high risk of overheating or fire.

Penofol

It is one of the most innovative heaters for the balcony. This material consists of several layers:

  1. Polyethylene foam self-extinguishing.
  2. Aluminum foil.

Unlike previous heaters, penofol is not able to absorb heat. Thanks to the foil, it works according to a different principle, namely, it reflects thermal radiation. The material, in turn, is divided into several types:

  1. Type "A" - the foil is on one side of the insulation.
  2. Type "B" - with foil on both sides.
  3. Type "C" - with a special self-adhesive insert.

Advantages:

  • versatility. The material is used to insulate the walls of the floor and the ceiling of the balcony. In addition, it is great for both indoor and outdoor decoration;
  • low vapor permeability;
  • provides high-quality sound insulation;
  • light weight and fine structure;
  • ease of installation;
  • environmental friendliness;
  • compliance with all fire safety standards.

Disadvantages:

  • due to the high softness, penofol is not used for wall insulation under plaster;
  • some types of penofol require fastening with special glue;
  • cannot protect against severe frosts and is installed mainly as an additional insulation.

Preparation for warming the balcony

In any repair or construction process, everything begins with the preparation of surfaces and territory. Therefore, before you insulate the balcony with your own hands, you will have to get rid of all the rubbish that is there. By the way, things that you still plan to leave afterwards also need to be moved to another room.

After the balcony is completely cleared of unnecessary things, you need to fully inspect the room. First, it is important to understand which parts of the loggia require more thorough insulation. In addition, you need to pay attention to cracks and chips that allow cold air to pass through.

Important! Some balconies have a rather small area. And the thermal insulation material takes up the space of the room. In this case, it is better to immediately determine the so-called "cold" and "warm" zones of the loggia and insulate only those that are more susceptible to frost and wind.

Balcony parapet especially needs to be insulated

Right now it is desirable to get rid of significant defects on the surfaces. Large gaps can be filled with putty or mounting foam.

At the same stage, you should decide on the type of insulation for the balcony and stock up on all necessary tools. We will talk about thermal insulation materials a little later. And now let's look at what tools you need in order to insulate the balcony.

Balcony insulation tools:

Insulating a balcony with your own hands is a fairly simple and understandable process. The main thing is to understand the sequence of work and stock up on the necessary tools. These include the following basic materials:

  1. Insulation in the required amount (the calculation takes place in accordance with the number of layers and the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe balcony).
  2. Facing material for external finishing.
  3. Mounting foam.
  4. waterproofing materials.
  5. adhesive mixtures.
  6. Wooden or metal beams(for the frame).
  7. Dowels, screws, nails of different sizes.
  8. Metallized adhesive tape for sealing seams.

In some specific cases, you may also need:

  • drill;
  • perforator;
  • scissors;
  • a hammer;
  • building level;
  • rollers;
  • spatulas, etc.

Here everything will depend on the finishing of the loggia.

Ceiling insulation

If you plan to insulate the balcony with your own hands, then it is best to start from the ceiling and move further from top to bottom. Of course, if the ceiling of your loggia is the floor of your neighbors, then the process of protecting the room from frost and wind is much simpler. However, if the roof is independent, then a little effort should be made to insulate it.

For the best protection of the balcony from cold and wind, we recommend that you perform work in the following sequence:

  1. Spraying or special film for sound insulation.
  2. . In this case, the most popular materials are PVC or polyester.
  3. The special membrane protecting from wind. It freely passes the steam that is released from the insulation, but it helps to completely isolate the ceiling from the wind and drops that can enter the room with it.
  4. Anti-condensation material that protects the insulation from the formation of water droplets.
  5. Frame (metal or wood of your choice). The crate is an optional element. Insulation can be installed using special glue. The main thing is to make sure that the mixture does not contain toluene. For greater reliability, when fixing the sheets, use dowels.
  6. . We recommend that you use polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam or mineral wool. They provide good protection from the cold and are easy to install, which is especially important when insulating the balcony ceiling.
  7. Vapor barrier for insulation. It does not let water vapor inside, due to which the thermal insulation properties of the material are significantly increased.

Floor insulation

The initial stage of warming the floor of the balcony is the installation of waterproofing on the surface. Polyethylene or penofol will do an excellent job with this role. Be sure to hide all the joints between the sheets with adhesive tape. This way you can be sure that the balcony is protected from moisture as much as possible.

Tip: If you are using single-sided foam (type "A"), install it with the reflective layer down.

Another popular option for waterproofing the floor on the balcony is bituminous mastic. However, do not forget that such material dries for about 24 hours.

After waterproofing, you should install a frame or in another way - logs. To do this, use wood or metal. The main thing is to choose the most quality material capable of lasting for many years.

Tip: If you are installing wooden beams, make sure that the moisture in them does not exceed 12%. Also for that. To prevent the appearance of fungus, we recommend that you treat the beams with an antiseptic or a special primer.

The bars are laid at a distance equal to the width of one sheet of insulation. As for the height of the beams, it is usually 10-15 cm. Ordinary mounting foam is used to prevent gaps that appear between the logs and the balcony wall.

After installing the lags, you can proceed directly to the installation of insulation. Make sure that there are no even the smallest gaps between the sheets (or plates) and the frame. Otherwise, your work will not bring the desired result. In some cases, the insulation is laid in several layers (for greater protection). Then it is important that the seams between the plates are not in the same place. That is, you need to lay the material with a slight offset.

Wall insulation

In the process of insulating the floor on the balcony, it will not be superfluous to immediately take care of the walls. So, for example, making out a waterproofing layer, sheathe the entire room around the perimeter with it. This will make your future work much easier.

  1. Create a frame from wooden beams. The distance between them and the width of each beam should be related to the dimensions of the insulation.
  2. Install thermal insulation material. For walls, traditional options are most often chosen - mineral wool (or glass wool), polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, penofol (or isolon). For greater reliability, we recommend combining several thermal insulation materials (for example, foam plastic and mineral wool).
  3. In the presence of cracks and large seams, polyurethane foam is used. With its help, you can reliably protect the balcony from cold and wind.
  4. Do not forget to install a vapor barrier on the insulation.

Important! Most often, the wall that connects the balcony and the room (living room, kitchen, etc.) is insulated with one layer. While on external walls at least two layers of insulation should be installed, or a denser heat insulator should be used.

Insulation of windows on the balcony

If you want to insulate the balcony from the inside as efficiently as possible, in no case should you forget about the windows. After all, even the highest quality thermal insulation materials for walls, ceiling and floor will not bring any benefit if the wind breaks through the cracks in the window opening.

If all this time your balcony has not been glazed, you should pay special attention to the wall that protects it from the street. The parapet (namely, this is the name of this wall) must be strong enough to withstand the frames and double-glazed windows. In some cases, it is better to further strengthen this part of the loggia. There are two options for strengthening the parapet:

  1. Brick. The simplest method, which, however, is not particularly reliable and durable.
  2. Reinforcement with steel bars. Use thick iron bars and cement. This method is a little more complicated than the previous one, but several times more reliable.

Before glazing the balcony, it is necessary to choose the material from which the window frames will be made. Of course, the most popular today are PVC structures. However, some modern manufacturers make wooden or aluminum frames, which are in no way inferior to plastic ones (except that they are more expensive).

Classic wooden frames practically not hermetic. Therefore, with their help it will be impossible to insulate the balcony. Therefore, they are best used in areas with a warmer climate.

As for aluminum structures, they are able to retain heat much better than wood. In addition, they are also resistant to rust and corrosive processes. However, the most the best option(if the criterion is the price-quality ratio) are plastic windows. They are not afraid high humidity and temperature fluctuations. In addition, such structures are distinguished by good thermal conductivity. Therefore, if you want to insulate the balcony, choose PVC windows. The most common types of structures today are:

  • hinged windows;
  • windows with two-chamber sash;
  • extended profiles.

Tip: If you do not have the time or financial ability to update the balcony glazing, you can try to insulate the opening with special materials (mounting foam, foam rubber, etc.).

Additional insulation methods

If you live in an area with a cold climate, one heater on the balcony may not be enough. After all, even the highest quality heat insulators are sometimes not able to protect against severe frosts. Therefore, on cold winter days, additional insulation of the balcony can be arranged.

For example, install an ordinary electric heater. For greater effect, it should be placed near the wall connecting the balcony and the apartment itself.

Important! Never place a heater near windows. The condensate that will be released during the process can greatly damage the double-glazed window.

If you do not want to install additional heating devices, and holding central heating on the balcony is strictly prohibited, you can install the "warm floor" system on the loggia. It will serve for decades, creating comfortable temperature even in the cold season. In addition, today many such systems are equipped with a special thermostat that helps you choose the most optimal mode.

Another option for additional insulation is air conditioning. In addition to the fact that he will heat the loggia in winter, he will also be able to cool the air in summer days. However, the use of an air conditioner has one rather important disadvantage - it will not be able to heat the floor on the balcony with high quality. Therefore, the warm floor still wins.

Tip: Installing a warm floor is another expense item. You should not rely only on your own strength, since the installation of the system is quite difficult process. It is better to entrust the work to professionals.

Protecting the room from cold air and strong wind, do not forget that it is also important to organize good ventilation on the balcony. With hermetically sealed gaps, this will be a little more difficult. Therefore, we recommend that you periodically ventilate the loggia for a more comfortable stay on it.

If you live in a cold climate, pay attention to the ventilation system of the “breather” type, which supplies purified air from the street, preheating it to the temperature you need.

Work process ventilation system breather

Common heating mistakes

Organizing the insulation of the balcony on your own, you can not take into account the many important nuances. As a rule, people make fairly predictable and common mistakes, including:


  • preparation of the room (freeing up space, taking out the trash, etc.);
  • ceiling repair (if necessary);
  • cleaning surfaces (walls and floors) from past coatings, dust and dirt;
  • restoration of walls and floors (if necessary);
  • applying an antiseptic that prevents the appearance of mold;
  • balcony glazing;
  • balcony waterproofing;
  • sealing all seams and cracks;
  • electrical wiring;
  • installation of insulation (from top to bottom - from the ceiling to the walls and only then - to the floor);
  • fine finishing of the loggia;
  • installation of furniture and lighting.

The sequence of materials when insulating a balcony

Recently, more and more apartment owners in high-rise buildings decide to expand their area with a balcony. This is a great option if you figure out how to properly insulate it from the inside and equip it.

If the balcony is not glazed, windows must be installed before insulation. It is better to choose high-quality double-glazed windows without saving, because the amount of heat in the apartment depends on them. Elements of window structures should fit as tightly as possible to each other so that drafts do not penetrate into the house.

The balcony is a part of the building that needs insulation more than others, because not all residents use it only as a warehouse. Increasingly, people are beginning to equip their balconies for additional space, for example, Personal Area. For these and other reasons, it is necessary to produce competent warming structures from the inside.

Stages of balcony insulation

In modern technologies for warming open hinged structures(balconies) as internal insulation four types of material are used: foam plastic, foam plastic, penofol and mineral wool. Consider technological features installation and types of cotton wool insulation used for thermal insulation of balconies.

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1. First, existing gaps are sealed. It is necessary to carefully examine the balcony and determine their location. You can fix the problem with mounting foam, even if the slots are quite wide, you just need to choose a quality one, for example, Macroflex, Soudal, Moment Installation. After the foam dries, the excess is trimmed with a clerical knife.

2. Waterproofing the balcony from the inside. For these purposes, you can use penetrating waterproofing "Aquatron", "Penetron" and the like. They are applied with a brush, roller or by spraying. The advantage of penetrating waterproofing is that it penetrates inside the walls, as a result of which they become more resistant to low temperatures and more durable. In addition, waterproofing eliminates all microcracks that are not visible to the "naked" eye.

3. Laying thermal insulation material. For this purpose, you can use expanded polystyrene, polyurethane foam, foam plastic, mineral plates, etc.

Vapor barrier installation. You can use polymer "breathing" membranes, vapor barrier films "Izospan", "Rockwool" and the like, or in extreme cases penofol, which is laid with the foil side towards the apartment. So the heat leaving the room will return back.

4. Exterior finish ceiling and walls on the balcony.

Insulation option in which there is no additional insulation

This technique can be applied provided that materials with low vapor permeability are available ( we are talking about materials such as polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam, or extruded polystyrene foam).

No. 1. Balcony insulation with polystyrene foam: sequence of work

If you chose expanded polystyrene as a heater, then the sequence of work is as follows:

After all the cracks are sealed and waterproofing is completed, the surface is treated with a primer. deep penetration, for example "Ceresite". This can be done with a brush or sprayer. The primer is poured into a bucket or other container, which is not a pity, then applied to the surface. Carefully work out the walls, ceiling and floorto achieve maximum adhesion of the insulation boards with them.

After applying the primer, you must wait at least six hours, then continue work. If the wall is made of cinder concrete, then the primer is carried out twice.

Rest - continue. We unpack the styrofoam boards. They are attached with glue and fasteners. Glue must be prepared according to the instructions and mixed thoroughly. Then apply it on the first sheet, which is glued to the surface (do not forget to step back three centimeters from the edges, and leave small gaps between the sheets). Mount sheets of expanded polystyrene in a checkerboard pattern.

To lay a vapor barrier or not - it's up to you. In this case, it is not necessary to do so.

Installation of reinforcing mesh. When all the plates are securely fixed to the walls or ceiling, a reinforcing mesh should be mounted. To do this, the surface of the plates is worked out with glue, perforated corners are fixed at their corners. The reinforcing mesh is rolled to the glued surface with a roller, then another layer of glue is applied. When the wall dries, it is primed and plastered

No. 2. Insulation of the balcony with foam

Penoplex is actively used in the insulation of rooms. You can attach it to the surface with bituminous mastics, polyurethane foam or dowel-mushrooms. Consider the option of mounting on mounting foam.

So. Waterproofing done. Mounting foam is applied to the insulation plate around the perimeter. It's enough. After applying, wait a couple of seconds and fix the plate on the insulated surface. The next plate is laid end-to-end to the first. After two days, you can fix the plates with additional dowels. Then the whole process is repeated in the same order as described above. Do the finishing to your liking. You can sew up the insulation boards with plastic panels, they look very original.


Advice. If the balcony is intended only for storing essential items on it, then it is enough to insulate the walls in one layer. If you need to insulate more thoroughly, then it is better to lay the insulation in two layers.

No. 3. Balcony insulation mineral wool: technology features


Warming of balconies with mineral wool is carried out under the constructed crate. A lining is attached over the frame - wooden or plastic panels with special slots.

A well-known fact is the building recommendation to carry out insulation from the outside of the building. However, in the insulation of balconies and loggias, it is often not possible to place the insulation material outside. The internal placement of the insulation layer requires certain calculations, compliance with the technology and correct selection materials so that in the future the work performed does not lead to wetting of the walls, corners and ceiling inside the remote structure.


Types of mineral wool

Depending on the raw materials used in the production, there are three main types of mineral wool: glass, stone and slag. All three materials are suitable for insulation work.

Minvata is soft material, which has no rigid dimensions. It is supplied in the form of rolls (before laying they are unwound into a track) or soft mats. Sometimes one side of the insulation is covered with aluminum foil to enhance the thermal insulation properties.


Important! During installation, the foil should be located on the side of the room. The internal heat of the room will be reflected from the foil surface back into the living space.

The thickness of the mineral wool layer determines the quality of insulation and varies in size from 20 to 200 mm.

Mineral wool installation technology

Any type of mineral wool is mounted under the frame, located between outer wall(ceiling, roof) and frame supports. Wooden sticks or metal profiles can be used as supports, depending on which cladding will be used in the future.

When using lining for finishing wall cladding, the frame-lathing is constructed of wood. Installed wooden sticks cross section 150 - 250 cm 2, while you can save a little the interior space of the balcony by installing sticks of rectangular rather than square section (30 × 50 cm 2, 30 × 70 cm 2).

All racks and horizontal laths of the crate are installed under the level. Fastening of vertical racks to concrete surface ceiling and floor is carried out with anchor bolts. Horizontal ones are attached to the vertical supports. If the future cladding is made of plastic lining, horizontal slats are attached at three levels: knee, thigh, shoulder.

For internal insulation with mineral wool, it is mandatory to install a vapor barrier. By itself, the cotton material is breathable, it easily passes gaseous substances (air, steam).

Considering that at internal insulation the point of condensation is shifted into the insulation, it is necessary to limit the ingress of steam or air from their living quarters into the building wool. For this purpose, a vapor barrier film is laid between the mineral wool and the finish.

Interior decoration

purpose interior decoration:

  1. Close the heat insulator material from the living space.
  2. Create an aesthetic interior wall covering of a room or insulated loggia.

Exist various materials for interior decoration of balconies (drywall, wood, plastic, plaster). With a previously constructed crate frame, the finishing is done by hanging various kinds panels: plywood, MDF, lining made of wood or plastic.

Finishing clapboard is carried out by wall cladding with wooden (or plastic) wagon panels, which have special grooves around the perimeter for ease of installation and fastening density. At the same time, plastic lining is often a cheaper imitator. wood flooring laid by interior walls balconies (or loggias). It is characterized by less strength and rigidity.

Wooden wagon panels are reliable, environmentally friendly, have enough for floor covering rigidity. Plastic clapboard it is possible to sheathe the ceiling of the loggia, the floor is covered with wood, as for the walls - both types of wagon cover (plastic and wood) can be used here.


Clapboard lining is recommended to start from the corner. Each panel is checked for verticality by a level and fixed to the crate with a special fastener (clamp). You can fix the wagon panel with small carnations.

After finishing, the inner surface is treated with a composition that protects the wood from moisture and from destruction.

Problems faced with internal insulation of the balcony

1. When sheathing walls, ceilings and floors with insulating material, the area of ​​​​the room inevitably decreases. And this drawback is not the only one.

2. Condensation often occurs in many designs, which is difficult to get rid of when everything construction works already produced. Why does excess moisture appear?

The insulation structure installed on the balcony includes the following elements:

  1. outdoor fencing located on the street; warming material; warm room.

Air masses tend to get outside, and their moisture, which has passed through the insulation, settles on the outer fence in the form of condensate. The insulation gets wet and completely loses its performance characteristics.

Warm vapors, colliding with a cold fence, also turn into a liquid state. Excess moisture in the room causes many problems: for example, the appearance of mold or rotting of wooden structural elements. That is why you need to know how to properly insulate your balcony.

From the inside, this can be done in two ways.

Hydrobarrier

Hydrobarrier - a special design that prevents moisture condensation on the outer fence. The technology of its installation includes certain stages:

  1. installation of vapor barrier;
  2. facing materials.

The hydrobarrier makes it possible to use even materials that do not tolerate moisture when insulating from the inside. Polyethylene or foil serves as insulation.

Important! All seams must be sealed with construction tape.to best insulate the balcony.

The disadvantage of this method of insulation is that the walls cannot breathe.


Warming without additional insulation

It is possible to insulate a balcony from the inside in this way only if there are materials with low vapor permeability: polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam. The design includes:

  1. fiberglass mesh, also mounted with glue; finishing.
  2. Advice! For better fixing of the insulation, you can use plastic dowels.

For thermal insulation with polystyrene foam, glue is not required. This material is applied to the surface to be insulated with a sprayer, foams and dries.

Innovative insulation from TechnoNIKOL LOGICPIR Balcony is suitable for walls, ceiling, floor. saves space - plate thickness from 20 mm.

  1. keeps warm due to the unique thermal conductivity of 0.022 W / m ° K (compare with glass wool 0.032-0.041 W / m ° K);
  2. protected from moisture, rot, mold and fire (combustibility group G1 according to GOST 30244-94);
  3. will last for many years (the insulation retains its properties for 50 years).
  4. Advice! When insulating a balcony from the inside with polystyrene foam, it is better to make a layer of material about 80 mm thick. The vapor permeability of extruded polystyrene foam is lower than that of a simple one, so its layer can be even smaller.

Floor insulation

Behind the insulation of the walls of the balcony, the floor should be insulated. If you correctly calculate the amount of insulation and the thickness of its layer, you can make the floor on the balcony at the same level as in the rest of the rooms.

At the first stage of work, the slab is cleaned of dirt, debris and crumbling plaster. Then the floor is covered with foil and penofol. The second stage is the fastening of the crate, previously cut with a jigsaw. Insulation plates are laid between its bars (preferably foam), and the gaps between them are filled with foam. The final stage is the installation of flooring, linoleum or parquet and skirting boards.

This design can raise the floor on the balcony by about 150 mm.



Electric heated floor

You can insulate the floor using modern technologies. Then the balcony will not differ from other rooms in almost nothing. Installing electric heat tracing is a relatively simple process, but electricity costs increase significantly.

To heat the balcony floor from the inside, a special electric cable is installed.

Important! Moisture must never get into the cable.

Insulation components:

Ceiling insulation

    Advice! If the neighbors living on the floor above have already insulated their balcony, there is no need to insulate the ceiling.

The most optimal material for ceiling insulation is foam. It weighs very little, which is very important in this case. Its main layer is supplemented with foil, which acts as a vapor barrier and heat reflector. Foiled polystyrene foam is fixed with polyurethane foam glue and dish-shaped dowels. All seams are sealed with a special metal tape.

The foam plastic is attached to aluminum hangers using the same combined method.

Important! Insulation sheets should fit together as tightly as possible.

All cracks are filled with mounting foam with special care, so every, even the smallest, hole can make all work absolutely useless.

You can insulate the balcony from the inside both independently and using the services of professionals. However, these construction works can be simple if you use the tips and carefully understand the technology.

How to insulate a balcony with your own hands: step by step photos and instructions


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Errors when warming a balcony