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External insulation of the house with polystyrene foam is the rule of a zealous owner. The scheme of wall insulation with polystyrene foam from the outside and the optimal thickness of insulation for a brick house for siding External insulation with foam plastic

Good exterior insulation significantly reduces heating costs as well as home maintenance costs. However, warming a house in this way will only be effective if it is well done. Before proceeding with the repair work, you should study well the question of how to isolate the walls from the outside. Then the funds invested in labor and materials will be effectively used and quickly returned in the form of savings on heating.

Insulating walls with Styrofoam (a type of Styrofoam) is not a very difficult task, but you must follow certain rules. Mistakes made when performing insulation can result in it being less effective, and in some cases can lead to serious damage to the facade. To properly insulate walls, it is important to follow certain rules and avoid common mistakes. Below are the 11 most common rules and mistakes when insulating a building with Styrofoam.

1. Proper preparation wall surfaces

The surface on which the polystyrene boards will be placed must be properly reinforced, stable, level and dry. It must be free of contaminants that reduce adhesion, such as:

• dirt;
• adhesive coatings;
• formwork oil;
• any kind of pollution caused by chemical or biological agents.

The base must be even - small inequalities (up to 2 cm) are leveled with a leveling mortar. In case of large irregularities (more than 2 cm), you must use a different thickness polystyrene boards so that they form one plane.

Underlay related errors include:

• incorrect assessment of the state of the substrate;
• lack of primer;
• poor assessment of the geometry of the walls (evenness, deviation from the vertical).

1. Styrofoam bonding, insufficient adhesive

The adhesive must be applied both along the edge of the slab and on its surface. If you apply glue only along the edge, or only at one point, the plate will bend, and the edges of the plates will be visible on the finished facade.

Proper application of styrofoam adhesive:

a) along the periphery and points - in this case, the glue should be applied in the form of strips along the edge of the plates with a width of 4-6 cm. On the rest of the surface, the glue is applied pointwise, there will be from 3 to 8 points. total area adhesive should cover 40% of the white panels and 60% of the graphite plates.

b) the comb method, which is used only in the case of even, plastered surfaces. The adhesive is applied with a notched trowel over the entire surface of the board.

Note: Adhesive solution is applied to the surface of the polystyrene plate, and never applied to the substrate.

The adhesive on each sheet must be placed around the edge and on the surface.

1. Adhesive selection

Poor choice of adhesive or poor quality mortar can cause the foam plates to come off, along with other layers of the façade. Generally, it is recommended to use complete system isolation from the manufacturer - such a system contains all the necessary elements, guaranteed quality, and good consistency of elements with each other.

1. Distribution of panels on the wall

It is important that the foam plates are offset by half their length from bottom to top, starting at the corner of the wall.

It is also important to correctly position the plates in the corners. If this is done incorrectly, then thermal bridges appear on the connection of the plates, through which heat losses occur.

In addition, polystyrene panels must also be laid neatly and tightly side by side. Connections must not form straight lines.

1. Filling gaps between tiles

The gaps between the styrofoam boards must not be filled with adhesive solution (thermal bridges will occur). To fill gaps up to 4 mm wide, use polyurethane foam.

1. Reinforcing with dowels

Dowels of insufficient depth will cause problems. If they are installed too deep, they will destroy the structure of the thermal insulation board. If they are installed too shallow, they can create a bulge that will be visible on the wall surface.

1. Starter plinth and mesh

If a starter skirting and mesh is not used, the insulation will be exposed to the weather and rodents such as mice, which often burrow into the bottom layer of insulation while looking for winter shelter and cause damage.

1. Uneven foam board surfaces

The surface of the plates after their placement must be even. If there are irregularities, the surface must be sanded to eliminate the irregularities. Otherwise, they will also appear on the facade. Unfortunately, sanding polystyrene is a laborious and time consuming process, so it is often forgotten.

1. The location of the plates around the door and window openings

At the corners of windows and doorways there should be no seams of board joints. In addition, in these places you should use additional diagonal grid strips.

Laying scheme in the corners of window and door openings

The corners of window and door openings must fall into the central part of the polystyrene plate.

1. Weather conditions and performance of work in inappropriate weather

Often installers do not take into account weather during the renovation. It is important that the insulation work is carried out in the appropriate weather - the temperature is not lower than 5 °C and not higher than 25 °C. Of course, at the time of warming there should be no precipitation. This is important, not for comfortable work, but for the properties of materials that retain their qualities only when certain conditions. For example, at a higher temperature, the adhesive will dry quickly before it can properly bond the foam to the substrate.

1. Lack of sun protection materials

The use of solar shading is especially important when laying gray foam. Under the influence of the sun, it heats up quickly, and the result can be the formation of gaps between the plates and their peeling from the substrate.

How to properly insulate a house - video

Reviews

Feedback on the insulation of the walls of the house with foam can be left in the comments.

Prepare a sleigh in the summer ... This proverb perfectly reflects the fact that it is never too late to think about warming a house, or rather, it is better in advance.

According to reviews, among the types of insulation, both private houses, summer cottages and cottages, and multi-storey (apartment) buildings, external insulation is the leader. And among the materials, the undisputed favorite is polystyrene.

We propose to understand what is the reason for the high efficiency of wall insulation with foam from the outside.

Benefits of outdoor insulation

• The first, and most important, is the displacement of the dew point outside the wall (see photo). Why is it good? The fact that the house will always have a dry outer wall. The problem with its freezing will disappear by itself. In addition, moisture, not accumulating in the wall, will not destroy it. This will allow load-bearing structure"aging" much slower.

• Second, the wall will accumulate heat. Thus, after airing the apartment in winter, it will quickly recover normal temperature. After all, the walls will give part of the accumulated heat back to the room, and not to the street.

• Third, work can be done at any time. Their implementation is not fraught with long and expensive interior renovation, and arrangement of additional ventilation.

The benefits of foam

• the lowest thermal conductivity among known modern heaters;
• low price of the material;
• low cost of labor involved professionals;
• the ability to warm up with your own hands;
• ease of installation of foam and much more.

The technology of wall insulation with foam plastic is quite simple. But to do the job efficiently, you can only know some of the nuances and features.

Let's consider step by step how to insulate a wall from the outside with foam, and what pitfalls can be encountered at each stage.

Instructions for wall insulation with foam plastic from the outside

Stage 1 - material selection

Insulation of the outer wall with foam plastic is a device of a multilayer structure. Such a cake gives the insulation additional properties, in the form of strength and aesthetics. And also, it allows you to protect the material from the damaging effects of the external environment.

For external insulation, it is better to choose polystyrene brand PSB-S-25.

Nuance: This choice is due to two factors - strength and thermal insulation properties. Of course, a material with a density of 15 will retain heat better. Because it has more air. But, the foam brand PSB-S-15 is more fragile.

Disadvantages of foam plastic PSB-S-15

(when used in external insulation)

• crumbles a lot during work;
• difficult to cut evenly;
• the sheet is almost impossible to rub with a grater;
• plaster does not fit well;
• the plastered surface of the wall is easy to push through.

The thickness of the foam sheet depends on:

1. desired effect;
2. region (the temperature in the cold month, the strength and direction of the wind are taken into account);
3. material from which the wall is made.

Nuance: the insulation of a brick wall from the outside with foam puts forward even more requirements for the accuracy of calculating the thickness of the sheet. Because a thin layer, will cause the dew point to not shift towards the foam, but remain in the wall. Then, the moisture that will collect in the brick will increase the rate of its destruction. And if the foam layer is too thin, then in winter the moisture will turn into ice. As a result, bubbles form on the wall, and the sheet will simply vomit.

Tip: if the required sheet thickness is 100 mm, it is better to buy two 50 mm each. and mount them overlap. This will eliminate cold bridges at the junction of sheets.

Material for external wall insulation with foam plastic

• sheets (plates) of foam;
• starting profile;
• building glue;
• dowels with a wide hat (fungi, umbrellas).

Tip: If you use foam plastic with a thickness of 50 mm, then for a concrete base, the length of the dowel should be at least 90 mm, for brick - at least 120 mm. The dowel must enter the wall by at least 50 mm.

• perforated corner with reinforcing mesh;
• polymeric reinforcing mesh;
• profile for slopes;
• plaster;
• paint for facade works.

Stage 2 - surface preparation

The wall is inspected for defects (cracks, delaminations, biological formations - moss, fungus). The protruding parts will later be sheathed with foam, and those that are poorly fixed get knocked off. If old plaster is peeling off the wall, it must also be removed.

Sometimes, there is moss on the walls - it needs to be scraped off. Paint is also removed, if any. And any other layer having zero vapor permeability.

If there are deep cracks in the wall, they need to be repaired. To do this, they need to expand. Prime the resulting V-channel. Then close up. Sand-cement mortar, foam glue or construction foam are suitable for embedding.

Cracks in the wallsTechnology for sealing cracks in the walls

The prepared wall surface is primed.

Priming walls For priming, use a universal deep penetrating primer. This will protect the wall from fungus and other biological activity, as well as increase surface adhesion.

Tip: Surface suitability can be checked as follows. A foam block measuring 10x10x10 mm is glued to the wall with an adhesive solution. Three days later it is torn off. If the block comes off completely, then the wall is not suitable and requires further stripping. If the block breaks, but holds, you can get to work.

Is it possible to insulate the walls of a wooden house with foam plastic?

Warming wooden walls it is better not to carry out foam plastic outside. This is due to the fact that wood has a natural moisture content. In order for it to be able to give moisture to external environment you need a heater with a porous structure. Ideal in this case there will be mineral wool.

From a practical point of view, it is possible to insulate wooden walls with foam plastic. Provided that there are no serious cracks in the tree. Otherwise, before starting work, you need to seal them with natural insulation - moss, felt or a special acrylic sealant that allows you to seal even the most minor defects and interventional seams. In addition, the installation of foam is carried out only using the frame method.

Insulation of wooden walls from the outside with foam - the pros and cons

Stage 3 - markup

In this case, marking does not mean that you need to draw a drawing on the entire wall. Such a grid will only be confusing, because. the foam sheet has a tolerance of 10 mm. by 1 r.m.

But, measuring horizontally and vertically is simply necessary. Because it is not always possible to equal the angle, because. the wall may have slight deviations.

Stage 4 - installation of foam on the wall and facade

Tip for beginners - start work on the wall that is least noticeable, this will be your training ground.

The foam device on the wall begins with the installation of the starting profile. Its width is equal to the thickness of the foam sheet. Sometimes the UW-50 or 100 profile is used for these purposes. These are the most popular sheet sizes for insulation.

Nuance: It is better to use a special starting (basement) profile, because. it has a perforation that allows fasteners to securely fix the profile, and at the same time allows its movement due to thermal expansion.

The starting profile is mounted according to the markings applied earlier. Its use allows you to lay the first row of sheets absolutely evenly. In addition, there is an opinion among the people that the metal starting profile will protect the sheet from rodents.

To level the thermal expansion of the metal, a gap of about 5 mm must be left between adjacent profiles.

Fastening the profile for foam insulation

The arrangement of the corner is shown in the photo

Corner device for foam insulation

Foam fixing methods

The foam mounting technology has several modifications. To fix the sheet on the wall, you can choose one of three options:

• apply glue to the edge of the sheet and make several molds over the sheet area. This method is suitable for uneven walls;

The method of fixing the foam on an uneven wall

• apply glue with a notched trowel all over the sheet. Option for a relatively flat wall;

The method of fixing the foam on a flat wall

• apply special glue from a balloon. Such glue is similar to building foam. At the same time, it is much easier to work with it than with an adhesive solution. Plus, it does not need to be kneaded, it firmly attaches the sheet to the wall.

Styrofoam fasteners on glue from a balloon

The second row of sheets is stacked offset as shown below. This scheme makes the installation more reliable and reduces the likelihood of cracks.

Styrofoam fastening scheme with offset

So, in order, all rows are stacked up to the last.

Tip: In order for the glue to fully set, the wall pasted over with foam must stand for 3-4 days. If you do the insulation with foam plastic with your own hands, then by the end of the work the first section usually manages to withstand the right time.

Particular attention should be paid to the finishing of slopes, because it is also a source of heat loss. Photo finishing process.

Slope device for foam insulation

The window tide after installing the foam will have to be replaced.

In order to junction of the insulation to the frame plastic window or there was no heat loss on the door, a special window profile must be installed. Due to the fact that the profile has a self-adhesive strip, it can be easily installed on the window frame. Photo installation process.

Installation window profile with foam insulation

Installing the profile guarantees no deformations and a finished appearance.

Stage 5 - additional fastening of the foam to the wall

Dowels umbrellas (fungi) for fixing polystyreneSpecial plastic dowels umbrellas (fungus) for fixing polystyrene, which do not “fall through” into the sheet, but securely fix it, can provide reliable fixation.

You can mount the "umbrellas" in two ways, as shown in the figure.

The first option is suitable for smooth joints. If there are significant gaps between the sheets, then the second option should be used.

Nuance: The first option will save the dowel, but it takes time to fit the sheets to size.

Fixed dowel umbrella When installing the dowel, make sure that it is slightly recessed into the sheet.

It is worth noting that in classic version the umbrella is mounted as shown in the photo. However, since such installation takes a lot of time, and the plastic of the dowel does not create cold bridges, even experienced builders neglect this rule.

The method of fixing the foam plastic with the "drowning" of the cap of the dowel-umbrella

The gaps formed at the junction of two sheets are sealed with foam. With a gap of more than 20 mm, the gap is sealed with a piece of foam. For greater reliability, the back side of the trim is smeared with glue or foam.

Sealing of necks at the joints of foam plastic

After sealing all the cracks, they start trimming the protruding parts of the sheet that meet at the corners.

Grater for grinding foam

Tip: If a wall finished with foam has stood for more than 2 weeks without finishing, it will have to be sanded completely, because. ultraviolet has already damaged the surface layer of the insulation.

Stage 6 - finishing corners and slopes with foam

Perforated corner with reinforcing mesh The corners of the house or slopes need additional protection from impacts. In addition, it is difficult to provide the required mesh overlap here. Yes, and cutting perfectly foam can be difficult. Therefore, a special perforated corner with a reinforcing mesh is provided for them.

It is attached with glue and pressed tightly with a special corner spatula to the outer or inner corner of the house, or slope.

The process of installing foam at the corners is shown in the photo. Inside the slope, as already mentioned, a special corner is used.

The process of installing foam at corners and slopes

At this stage, the house is ready for further finishing.

Stage 7 - facade plaster on foam plastic

External wall insulation with foam helps protect the house from heat loss. And what will take care of the protection of the insulation itself? Finishing (facade, decorative) plaster, siding, lining or any other finishing material. In our example, this is plaster.

It is based on a polymer reinforced mesh for foam plastic with a cell of 3x3, 4x4, 5x5. The density of the mesh is in the range of 140-160 g / sq.m. The purpose of the reinforcing mesh is to ensure the integrity of the wall surface and prevent cracks.

Tip: don't be tempted to low cost grids - in this case, saving is inappropriate. A high-quality mesh is coated with a special solution that protects it from the influence of alkalis and acids, which are contained in adhesive solutions. Poor quality mesh "dissolve" in the glue.

How to attach the mesh to the foam?

Attaching the mesh to polystyrene foam-1The mesh is fixed to the glue. The one on which the foam was attached. The grid has a special marking. The red bar shows how much of the canvas should be overlapped. This is approximately 100 mm.

If there is no marking, try to maintain an even overlap along the entire length of the strip.

Mesh fastening on polyfoam-2

Mesh fastening procedure: a mesh strip of the required length is cut off, plus 250-200 mm. Glue is applied to the top of the wall. The area of ​​the adhesive strip is approximately 100x10 mm. A mesh is laid on it and pressed. Roughly speaking, the mesh should sink in the glue.

Trimming the extra mesh

Tip: make sure that the grid does not gather into an accordion. Smooth it out with a spatula. But, do not overdo it, otherwise you will pull the entire strip down. At the bottom, the excess mesh is cut off.

In order for the putty to cover the mesh over the entire surface of the wall, it must be applied in two layers. One thick layer will be covered with microcracks. This will not bring harm, but visually the defect will be noticeable. Please note that the previous layer must dry completely.

Tip: do not work with putty in windy weather. Otherwise, the layer will dry out quickly, which will also lead to the appearance of microcracks.

Stage 8 - priming and finishing

As the name of the stage implies, the main work here is related to the priming of the wall surface. And then proceed to the application of finishing putty and / or staining.

More visual information on how to insulate the outer wall with foam contains a video instruction

Ignoring the rules for installing foam when performing external wall insulation can lead to unpleasant consequences.

The consequences of poor-quality foam installation

Conclusion

We hope that this instruction will allow you to insulate the outer wall with foam plastic efficiently and without problems.

Tags: Wall insulation Styrofoam

Do you want to get cozy and warm housing, the temperature in which does not depend on the vagaries of the weather? Then you should insulate the walls from the outside with foam. Don't know where to start and how to get started with this work? In this case, study this article - it will give you answers to your questions.

Insulation of walls from the outside with foam

Polyfoam, its advantages and disadvantages

First, let's get acquainted with the material that will be discussed in the article. Styrofoam is a polymeric insulation produced in the form of white boards. The material has a pronounced granular structure, and each individual grain contains many voids filled with gas. It is their presence that gives the foam excellent thermal insulation qualities. For other material properties, see the table.

Styrofoam slabs

Table. Polyfoam - the main characteristics.

Important! When buying foam, pay attention to the fact that it has flame retardant additives, and the pores in the grains contain non-combustible carbon dioxide.

Facade insulation with foam plastic

The advantages of polystyrene include:

• low cost;
• good thermal insulation qualities;
• small mass;
• ease of processing and installation;
• unattractive to bacteria and fungus;
• high durability.

As for the shortcomings of the foam, there are two of them. The first is the combustibility of the material. The second is low vapor permeability, which, in the event of an error in the design or installation of insulation, can lead to mold on the main wall.

Styrofoam as insulation

The main task performed by insulation is to shift the dew point outward. Consider three building options.

1. In the first case, there is only a wall without any insulation. The dew point is located inside the material, there is a significant temperature difference between its outer and inner sides. As a result, a lot of heat escapes through the wall, condensation forms in the house, and the service life of the material drops significantly due to dampness.
2. In the second case, the insulation is located from the inside. The dew point shifts to the area between it and the wall. Heat losses are significantly reduced, but dampness remains. There is also a risk of mold appearing between the insulation and the wall.
3. In the third case, the insulation is located outside, the dew point is shifted beyond the wall of the house. The latter is now not subject to dampness and does not lose heat.

Dew point location

Styrofoam insulation for external walls. All components of the system are highlighted and signed

Preparing exterior walls for insulation

Construction work related to the insulation of the facade of the house with polystyrene foam begins with the preparation of the walls. They need to be cleaned, leveled, primed, etc. All these actions are described in more detail in step by step instructions below.

Step 1. To work at a height exceeding human height, build scaffolding. You can make them yourself from the timber and boards available on the site, but it is safer to use factory-made products.

Dismantled scaffolding

Assembly of factory scaffolding

The distance from the walls to the scaffolding should be equal to the thickness of the insulation layer (in this case it is 20 cm) plus another 30-40 cm for the working space

When erecting scaffolding, be sure to check the correctness of their position vertically and horizontally using a level

Step 2 Inspect the walls for various defects. Cover cracks and holes, sagging mortar chip off. Prepare openings for water and gas pipelines and other utilities.

Removing mortar streaks

Step 3 Treat the wall with a deep penetration primer. Since the house in the example is made of aerated concrete blocks, two layers will be required. For the first time, the primer must be diluted by adding water from a third to a half of the total volume.

First, the primer must be diluted with water.

Wall treatment with a deep penetration primer

Important! Primer treatment in two layers is necessary not only for aerated concrete, but also for other porous materials, such as foam blocks and sand-lime bricks.

Step 4 Apply a second coat of primer, but not diluted with water.

Applying a second coat of primer

Wall insulation from the outside with foam plastic - step by step instructions

After completing the preparation, proceed to laying the polystyrene foam boards. In this case, their mounting on the wall will be combined - both glue and dowels with "umbrellas" are used.

The process itself will include:

• laying polystyrene foam for insulation on ordinary walls of the house;
• on window and door openings;
• at the corners;
• on the space under the roof of the cottage.

For all processes from this list, separate step-by-step instructions have been compiled, which can be found in the subsections of the article below.

Wall insulation from the outside with foam plastic - step by step instructions

Working with Regular Walls

Let's start warming the house from the outside with foam. Let's start with a relatively simple one - mounting the first row of polystyrene foam boards and laying them on ordinary walls.

Step 1. Measure how smooth the walls of the house you are insulating are, identify the presence of differences in thickness. To do this, use either a stretched thread or a laser level.

Checking the evenness of the walls

Step 2 Set a mark at the bottom of the wall and draw a line from it along which the first row of polystyrene foam plates will be laid.

Marked at the bottom

A line is drawn along which the first row will be laid

Important! In this case, when insulating the walls from the outside, the foam is laid directly on the foundation - it is even enough for this. In other situations, install a special aluminum support profile before installing the EPS boards.

Step 3 Mix the adhesive for mounting the polystyrene foam insulation. To do this, dilute the dry mixture in water. Choose the proportions based on the instructions printed on the glue package. Stir the solution using a mixer or a drill with an appropriate nozzle, working at low speed.

Water is poured first

Then the dry mixture is added

Step 4 Prepare polystyrene boards for the first row of insulation. In this case, a cutout is created in each of them, as in the diagram below. Cutting polystyrene foam plates is carried out using a special table with a hot nichrome thread. In the absence of such equipment, use a hacksaw with a fine tooth.

The block from the first row of foam insulation is indicated by a red arrow

Cutting foam plastic with a hot nichrome thread

Step 5 Apply adhesive to the first block. To start, make a thin strip around the perimeter by pressing the trowel into the Styrofoam. Then add more mortar, bringing the layer thickness to 25-30 mm. In the center of the block, apply several adhesive dots, their number depends on the area of ​​the insulation element.

How to apply adhesive

Applying the first thin layer of adhesive around the perimeter of the block

Application of the second layer, more voluminous. In the process of working with it, be careful - the glue should not get on the ends of the foam block

Glue points in the center of the block are indicated by arrows

Step 6 Perform a test laying of the styrofoam block. The purpose of the event is to find out what proportion of the total area is occupied by glue. To do this, lean the block against the wall, and then set it back. Depending on the thickness of the insulation layer, the adhesive contact area should be 40-60% of the total.

Test laying of insulation

Step 7 On paper or directly on the wall, prepare the marks on which the polystyrene blocks will be placed. Lay the tiles in the same way as brickwork- the top row is shifted to the side relative to the bottom row so that the vertical seams do not match. Permissible distance- from 15 cm, otherwise the seams will become "cold bridges". You can get acquainted with the layout of the foam blocks in the images below.

The layout of the foam blocks

The same, but the distances are indicated

Step 8 Start laying the first block - apply on it adhesive composition as shown earlier, lean against the marked place and lean. Then align the position of the product. This will help you with a thread stretched along the upper edge of the first row of blocks, and the usual building level.

Laying the first block

First block alignment

Important! Use small pieces of Styrofoam as pads to support the first row of blocks.

A piece of styrofoam as a lining

Step 9 Following the same principle as in the previous step, lay the second, third and subsequent blocks of the first row.

Laying subsequent blocks of the first row

Step 10 Then lay the remaining rows of foam insulation. You can read about how to do this at corners and openings in the following subsections of the article. Dock the blocks to each other tightly, fill the gaps with polystyrene foam glue, polyurethane foam or thin pieces of material.

Gap filling

Step 11 After the glue or mounting foam has dried, with which you filled the joints between the blocks, cut off the excess with a construction knife.

Removing excess glue

Step 12 Use the rule to determine how even the insulation layer turned out. Protruding areas grind with a special grater.

Grinding protruding areas

Corner insulation

Installation of insulation at the corners occurs according to the following scheme - on one side, the block extends beyond the wall boundary at a distance equal to the thickness of the block installed on the second side. On the next row, the order of location of the foam insulation elements is reversed. By a similar principle, blocks are installed on internal corners. For a better idea, check out the images below.

The location of the block on one side of the corner with access to the boundary of the wall

Installing the block on the other side butt up with what goes beyond the wall. The excess is cut off with a saw

The first block of the second row

Subsequent blocks

Installation of foam blocks on the second row of the corner - the sides change

The scheme of applying glue to the corner block. The part that goes beyond the border of the wall must remain clean - the solution cannot be applied to it.

Scheme of laying polystyrene boards on internal corners

Now let's look at how the installation of foam blocks on the corners of the building actually takes place.

Step 1. Mark one of the foam blocks. Select the part that will go beyond the border of the wall at the corner and the part that will be glued to the surface.

Insulation plate layout

Another photo of the process

Step 2 On the part of the block that is glued to the wall at the corner, apply the mortar mixed earlier. Perform this operation carefully - the glue should not get on the other part of the product that you previously separated using the markings.

Applying the mortar to the part of the block that is glued to the wall at the corner

The solution is applied

Step 3 Lean the block against the wall so that the adhesive adheres to the surface. Align horizontally and vertically, be sure to use the building level.

The block is attached to the wall

Block Alignment

Step 4 Measure how long a block you will need to install on the other part of the corner. Cut off the excess with a fine-toothed hacksaw.

Cutting line drawing

Block pruning

Step 5 Apply glue to the back of the foam and place the block on the other side of the corner. Connect it tightly to the product that you installed a few operations ago.

Block installation

Step 6 Cut off the protruding part of the first block with a hacksaw. At the end, you should have a right angle without any defects. If there is a gap between the blocks, then cover it with special glue for polystyrene foam or mounting foam. By the same principle that was outlined in this instruction, work with the rest of the external and internal corners of the building.

The protruding part is cut off

Insulation of window / door openings and walls next to them

To begin with, consider the principle by which the walls are insulated near the doorway. Here main task for you will provide enough space to open and close. There are two options for mounting the frame and door.

1. The door is installed flush with the outer side of the insulation layer. In this case, you need special fasteners for it and supports in the form of channels. You can see the diagrams of their installation in the image below.
2. The door is installed flush with the main wall. As a result, it turns out to be "drowned" in the insulation. To ensure the normal opening of the door, the polystyrene foam at the edges of the opening has to be filed.

Installation of the door flush with the outer side of the insulation layer, top view

On the sides of door frame fasteners can be seen

Since the door, when fastened at the same level with the insulation, strongly protrudes forward, it is not the base that acts as a support for it, but two well-fixed channels

Installing the door flush with the main wall. The process of mounting the frame and canvas takes place as usual, but the insulation in the opening must be filed. Otherwise, when opening the door, it will constantly rub against it, scratch and spoil the insulation itself.

Imagine the process of laying insulation near the doorway in the form of step-by-step instructions. In this case, the option is considered with the installation of the frame and the door itself at a level with the main wall.

Step 1. Pick up right amount blocks and file them from the edge with a regular hacksaw with fine teeth.

The edge of the block is sawn

Step 2 Install a frame in the doorway, if this has not been done before.

Step 3 Degrease the surface of the door frame.

Degreasing the surface of the door frame

Step 4 Prepare the required number of profiles for thermal insulation of openings. Unpack them, measure and cut. In this case, the edges of the profile adjacent to the corners of the openings must be cut at an angle of 45 °.

Preparation of profiles for thermal insulation of openings

Fitting

Profile cropping

Step 5 Remove the protective tape from the adhesive layer of the profile and fix it on one side of the opening. Make sure the profile fits snugly against the surface.

Profile fixing

Step 6 Glue the profiles on the other sides of the opening in the same way. In the corners, join them tightly to each other with cuts made at an angle of 45 ° in one of the previous stages of work.

Installation of profiles on the other sides of the opening

Step 7 Prepare fiberglass strips. Their width should be equal to the thickness of the insulation layer plus 10 cm for fastening to the main wall. In this case, the strip is cut off from a single mesh roll.

Fiberglass roll cutting

Step 8 Along the perimeter of the opening, apply a strip of adhesive mixture 10 cm wide on the wall.

Adhesive mix strip

Step 9 Rest a strip of fiberglass mesh with one of the edges on the glue applied in the previous step. Press the material against it, literally "drown".

The edge of the fiberglass mesh is pressed against the adhesive

Step 10 From above, apply another layer of glue to the part of the grid leaning against the wall.

Adhesive is applied on top

Step 11 Repeat the previous mesh operations for the other sides of the doorway.

The same is done with other parties.

Step 12 Install foam blocks with cut edges around the perimeter of the opening.

Installation of insulation blocks

The situation with window openings is approximately the same - the block itself with a frame and glass can be installed both in the depth of the opening and on its edge. In the first case, a gap appears between the outer layer of insulation and the window, which is closed by narrow strips of foam. They are laid on the glue in the inner surfaces of the opening.

Installing a window block "in the depths" of the opening. You can see the gap between the frame and the insulation layer

Same window setup, but top view. Added a narrow strip of styrofoam on the inside surface of the opening. It covers the resulting gap, which otherwise could become a "cold bridge"

In the second option, the window is mounted on the edge of the opening, with the frame adjacent to the insulation layer on the outer wall. This method is more effective in terms of thermal insulation.

Regardless of the installation method, the foam layer on the outer walls should slightly overlap window block to prevent the house from freezing through it during the cold season

Scheme of installing a window block with contact with a layer of insulation

It is also worth saying that the joints of the polystyrene blocks should not coincide with the joint of the window block with the opening. Therefore, around the perimeter, the insulation is installed in the form of products with L-shaped cutouts. There are two options for how to do this, and they are presented in the images below.

First option

Second option

The process of insulating walls with foam plastic near window openings is in many ways similar to that for a doorway. Here is a step by step guide.

Step 1. Install the window block, move it closer to the edge of the opening and fix it well there.

Installing a window block

Window unit fixing

Step 2 Remove the protective film from the frame and degrease the latter.

Frame degreasing

Step 3 Glue a special profile around the perimeter of the frame.

A profile is glued around the perimeter

Step 4 Apply a 10 mm wide adhesive strip along the perimeter of the profile on the wall.

Glue application

Step 5 On the glue applied in the previous step, fix the fiberglass strip according to the same principles as for the doorway.

Fiberglass strip fastening

Step 6 Cut out the blocks in accordance with the diagrams outlined in the images in this section of the article. Fasten around the perimeter of the opening.

Installation of insulation blocks

Important! When fixing the foam plastic under the window opening, make a slight slope necessary to install the ebb.

Slight incline required to set up the tide

As for the space under the roof, here is the difference from working with ordinary walls consists in the fact that it is necessary to pre-cut blocks with different and complex shapes from the foam.

Installation of blocks under the roof

Installation of mounting umbrellas on foam plastic

For a more reliable connection of the insulation layer with the main wall, mounting "umbrellas", also known as dish-shaped dowels, are used.

Step 1. Determine the length of the dowel you need. It consists of the thickness of the insulation layer (in this case it is 200 mm), the adhesive layer (15 mm), the length of the expansion part of the dowel (60 mm) and another 20 mm of reserve. Also decide which of the schemes shown in the image below, you will mount the fasteners.

Dowel dowel

Dowel fastening schemes

Step 2 Unpack the plate dowels, check if the parameters of the product match those you need.

Unpacking the dowels

Step 3 Prepare a drill with a hole depth limiter, adjust the latter to the value you need.

Drill preparation

Step 4 Mark the points for the plate-shaped dowels and drill holes there.

Hole drilling

Step 5 Insert the leg of the dowel into the hole so that the head is flush with the surface of the foam. Then use a special nozzle on the drill and tighten the spacer part of the fastener, then close it with a protective cap.

The dowel leg is inserted into the hole

Twisting the spacer

In some dish-shaped dowels, the expansion element is not twisted, but clogged. You can see an example of how to work with them in the images below.

In some dish-shaped dowels, the expansion element is not twisted, but clogged

Clogging of the spacer

Some builders believe that dish-shaped dowels in foam insulation are "cold bridges." They deal with this problem in the following way: using a special cutter, they cut out a cylindrical recess in polystyrene foam, insert fasteners there and fix it. Then the dish-shaped dowel is closed with the foam cover cut earlier.

A cylindrical notch is cut

The dowel is closed with previously cut foam

Video - Insulation of the facade of the cottage with polystyrene foam

Insulation reinforcement

On the installation of expanded polystyrene blocks, the process of wall insulation from the outside is not completed - the material must be protected with a reinforcing mesh and plaster mixture.

Step 1. Prepare a plaster-adhesive mixture of dry powder and water. Choose the proportions based on the recipe printed on the package. Mix the mortar with a construction mixer.

Mixing process

Step 2 Start with windows and doors. On the inner surface of their openings, apply a thin layer of plaster-glue mixture and level it.

Application of a thin layer of the mixture

Layer Alignment

Step 3 The reinforcing mesh laid on the inner surface of the openings in one of the previous sections of the article is pressed against the adhesive mixture and drowned in it. Smooth everything on top with a rectangular trowel.

The mesh is embedded in the mixture

Step 4 In exactly the same way as in the previous operation, press the grid related to the previously set profile, and drown her.

The grid of the previously set profile is pressed

Step 5 Repeat the previous three steps on all sides of the window opening.

The same, but with other sides of the opening

Step 6 At the corners near the openings, apply stripes of the adhesive mixture at an angle of 45°. Then lay a reinforcing mesh on them and smooth it with a trowel. Such areas near the openings are called "kerchiefs".

"Kerchief"

Smoothing out the reinforcing mesh

Step 7 Measure the corner profile to the required length. Apply a layer of adhesive mixture along the outer perimeter of the window, then lean a profile with a mesh against it and the inner surface of the opening and smooth it with a rectangular trowel.

Profile cropping

Application of the adhesive mixture

Profile Alignment

Grid Smoothing

Step 8 By the same principle, install corner profiles on other surfaces of the window opening.

The same, but on other surfaces of the window opening

Step 9 Attach a small rectangle or square of reinforcing mesh to the inner corners of the opening, straighten and smooth with a glue mixture.

Mesh is applied to the inner corner

Smoothing the mesh with a mixture

Almost done

Step 10 Repeat steps two through nine for each individual window and door opening.

Step 11 Apply an adhesive solution around the perimeter of the house to the bottom of the insulation. Then attach a drop profile there. Install it so that there are no air cavities between it and the insulation. Control the process using the building level.

Applying the solution around the perimeter of the house to the lower part of the insulation

A drop profile is applied

Step 12 Apply another coat of plaster over the mesh of the drip profile and smooth with a rectangular trowel.

Smoothing with a rectangular trowel

Step 13 By the same principles as above, install corner profile- apply an adhesive layer, attach the product to it, drown it in the net and smooth everything from above.

The adhesive layer is applied to the corner

Attached profile

Mesh smoothed out

Step 14 Now proceed to reinforcing the entire surface of the walls. Make cuts from a roll with a mesh length corresponding to the height of the insulated walls of the house.

Reinforcing mesh cutting

Step 15 On top of the polystyrene foam, apply a layer of plaster-glue mixture and smooth with a notched trowel.

Applying a plaster-adhesive mixture over the foam

Step 16 Lay a sheet of reinforcing mesh on top of the adhesive layer, press it and cover it with another layer of mortar on top. Carefully smooth everything - irregularities and cavities with air are unacceptable.

Laying reinforcing mesh

The mesh is smoothed with mortar

Step 17 In the same way, lay the next piece of mesh side by side. There must be an overlap of at least 100 mm between it and the previous one.

The overlap must be at least 100 mm

Step 18 Let the glue mixture dry a little (but not completely!) and scrape off any bumps.

Irregularities are scraped off

Step 19 Using the rule, search for concavities on the adhesive layer applied over the insulation. Then align them by adding a little more mixture in the right places.

Finding concavities using a rule

Leveling unevenness

Step 20 On the finally hardened adhesive mixture, make another leveling of the surface - puttying.

Puttying

Styrofoam facade plaster

The easiest way to insulate a house is to sheathe it with foam. The material is inexpensive, installation is easy to do on your own, the energy-saving effect is obvious. And in order to protect such a skin from the harmful effects of the environment, you need to choose for it suitable coating. Read more here.

After the putty has hardened, the insulation of the walls from the outside with foam plastic can be considered complete. Then you just have to apply the finishing decorative trim according to your tastes and preferences.

How to insulate walls with foam from the outside

If the walls of the house are not able to retain heat, then no ultra-modern heating systems will be able to warm it up. At a low temperature in the room, the humidity rises sharply and fungus and mold quickly develop, affecting not only things and furniture, but also the building itself. Experts say that up to 30% of heat is lost through the walls, so you should take care of their insulation in a timely manner.

Features of working with foam

Polyfoam is one of the most popular and inexpensive materials. It is an excellent heat insulator, is not afraid of moisture, does not rot and is easily cut with simple tools. However, this material very quickly loses its properties under the influence of ultraviolet light, so walls lined with foam plastic are never left open.

Another significant disadvantage of foam is flammability. That is why it is used most often in the so-called wet facade systems when the foam layer is covered with a layer of plaster fixed on a reinforcing mesh. This technology has gained great popularity due to the ease of finishing and low cost.

Important! Any tree is capable of absorbing and evaporating moisture; "breathe". The foam, on the other hand, has a low vapor permeability, therefore, for sheathing wooden house does not apply. In this case, it is better to use glass or basalt wool.

Finishing the house with foam plastic with further plastering (wet facade system)

Wet facade system with a decorative layer of plaster

Consumables

For wall cladding with foam you will need:

Primer: saving is inappropriate here, it will not only reduce glue consumption and prevent the development of fungus, but also strengthen the surface and improve adhesion;

Insulation: when laying the foam, part of the slab goes to trimming, so for 1 sq. m of the facade will need about 1.05 square meters. m foam; its thickness depends on the climatic zone;

Dowels 6 mm for fastening the profile;

Dowels-umbrellas ("fungi"): per 1 sq. m will need 5-8 pieces;

Socle (for the bottom of the wall) and corner profiles;

Reinforcing mesh: 1.35 sq. m per 1 sq. m of the facade; it is better to take a mesh with a density of 140-160;

Knife for cutting foam;

Building level;

Putty knife;

Plaster: its consumption is indicated on the package, however, it should be noted that another 10% will be spent on processing slopes;

Paint for facade works;

Scaffolding, ladder, building goats or scaffolds.

Wall preparation

Even perfectly laid thermal insulation material will not help to avoid heat loss in the presence of open air channels. Therefore, before starting work, all existing cracks should be carefully plastered or filled with mounting foam. In order for the solution to penetrate inside, they are pre-expanded to the desired size.

To detect exfoliated sections of the wall, you should tap. Loose plaster, layers of soot and mold are removed with metal brush. You can also use a special nozzle on the grinder. In order for the foam to lay flat, too protruding parts of the wall are knocked off. Grease spots treated with a solvent. On walls painted with oil paint, it is better to make small notches with an ax to improve adhesion.

Wall priming

Concrete and brick walls are best treated with outdoor epoxy compounds that can penetrate deep into the surface of the walls. For their priming, you can also use mineral acrylic mixtures for building facades, which provide good adhesion.

Wall primer

Adhesive selection

You can glue the foam to any walls: concrete, brick, plywood, etc. Before starting work, it is better

check the quality of the glue. To do this, smear a small sheet with it, press it against the wall for a few seconds and leave it to dry completely. If, after drying, the foam does not peel off the wall well and small pieces of it remain on it, then the glue is of high quality and is chosen correctly.

Important! You should carefully study the instructions for use: the glue must be frost and moisture resistant. For work with foam, you can take any facade adhesives, silicone sealants or liquid nails. For tile joints, mounting foam is used. The composition for fastening the foam must not contain organic solvents (acetone, gasoline, ethers, etc.).

The most suitable adhesive is special compound for gluing foam. There are several varieties of it:

1. Universal for foam, which is suitable for both bonding and reinforcement.

2. Adhesive for gluing. It has high plasticity and stickiness, when using it, foam sheets do not slip during the drying process.

3. Styrofoam Reinforcement Adhesive: High strength but less ductility.

Gluing foam

Wall marking

Alignment in the corners is not always possible, because. they may vary slightly. Markup is best done in the old fashioned way:

using plumb lines (beacons). A load is tied to a string suspended on a dowel at a distance of 5-7 mm from the wall. After it stops swinging, the twine is fixed.

If irregularities are found that do not allow the twine with the load to lie flat, they must be knocked down. On the "failures" of the wall, glue or building foam can be applied. Cross (horizontal) markings can be applied using a hydraulic level and twine.

Aligning the wall with beacons

Setting the start profile

To support the plates, a metal profile is attached to the bottom of the wall. In addition, it is able to protect the foam from mice that like to settle in the foam.

The size of the profile is selected according to the thickness of the insulation. Fastening is carried out with 6 mm dowels with washers with an interval of 30-40 cm. The corners of the profile are joined by the method of oblique cuts or using a corner connector.

Starter profile fixing

Glue application methods

You can paste the sheet in the following ways:

For uneven walls, it is better to apply a sufficiently large layer of glue around the perimeter of the sheet, as well as in several places along its center;

With a spatula with teeth, distribute the glue in a small layer evenly over the entire sheet, in this way the foam is glued on even walls;

Special glue for foam, sold in cylinders, is applied around the perimeter and center of the sheet.

Foam insulation

Before starting work

walls must be dry. If you glue the foam on damp walls that have not dried out after the winter, the adhesive joint will be fragile. When working in the summer heat, changes in day and night temperatures will also not have the best effect on the strength of the adhesive that has not yet dried out.

All work should be carried out in the spring, about a week after the heating is turned off in the houses. It is possible to glue foam plastic in the fall, when the ambient temperature drops to + 17-18 ° С. You should not start work in warm windy weather, as the glue will set too quickly.

It is not recommended to use too fragile foam in work: it is better to choose a material with a density of 20 kg / m3. The thermal insulation of denser sheets is less, so it is better not to use them for insulation of external walls.

Finishing procedure It is possible to start gluing the foam plastic one day after applying the primer. Plates are laid with the long side of the sheet down, starting from the bottom corner. The second row should go with an offset, as when laying bricks (see photo). To do this, the first sheets of odd rows adjacent to the corners are cut in half. The most convenient in the work of the plate with a size of 0.5 × 1 m and a thickness of 5 cm.

The gaps between the sheets are sealed with foam. Too much big gaps can be sealed with styrofoam scraps.

Styrofoam gluing scheme

Additional foam fixation

For this, "umbrellas" are used - special dowels for foam having a plastic head. Their length is selected taking into account the thickness of the plates. metal mounts, which can damage fragile plastic, are not used. In addition, the metal has a different coefficient of expansion.

Dowels for Styrofoam To install dowels in a wall pasted over with foam, holes of the appropriate depth are made into which dowels are inserted. They should enter the foam by 1.5-2 mm.

Holes for dowelsThe "umbrellas" are fastened with an envelope: at the corners of the sheet and in the center. Thus, to secure each sheet, you will need 5 dowels. The dowels should enter the concrete base to a depth of 50 mm, to a brick wall by 90 mm. For example, with a foam plastic width of 8 cm, "umbrellas" measuring 13-17 cm are used. After inserting them, they are additionally knocked out with a rubber hammer so that each of them is recessed into the foam plastic by a couple of millimeters.

Creating a decorative protective layer

A day after laying the foam, it is leveled with a grater. The corners of the house are additionally protected with a reinforced mesh with a corner. It is attached to the glue and pressed tightly against the jamb with an angled spatula.

Styrofoam grout Important! Do not leave foam-insulated walls unfinished for a long time. Even after 2 weeks, ultraviolet rays are already able to damage its top layer. If this nevertheless happened, the damaged surface is removed with a grater, and only then the wall is lined with a mesh.

Reinforced corner and corner spatula

Reinforcement of walls insulated with foam plastic is carried out using a mesh with cells of 3-5 mm. The mesh is cut into strips of the desired width. A special adhesive for reinforcement is applied to the wall so that the mesh sinks into it. Its edges are fixed last. After fixing the mesh on the wall with a spatula, it is leveled and excess glue is removed. Too much of it can lead to cracking.

Applying a reinforced mesh The second layer of adhesive is applied only after the first one has dried. After 3 days, the reinforced layer is primed, plastered, and then a layer of facade paint is applied to the wall.

This article contains all the necessary information that will help you properly insulate the walls of the house from the outside. Styrofoam boards will be used as insulating material. The article describes in detail all the stages of the work in their strict sequence. The reader will get acquainted with the technology of applying plaster on the surface of the foam and learn how to prepare the walls before starting the insulation process, as well as receive all the necessary information regarding the various options for installing the foam.

Specific instructions will help you do all the work yourself, without resorting to the help of the relevant organizations, which will help you save a lot.

Wall preparation process

It is not difficult to guess that before the direct process of insulation, you need to prepare the walls of the building. In this case, it is worth considering the fact that the walls of various buildings differ in their quality (evenness). The main goal for this stage is to obtain the most even wall, which ultimately simplifies installation and makes insulation more efficient.

Roller for drywall

Also, irregularities reduce the strength of the structure: if a concave area remains under the insulation, then after a mechanical effect on the material, it can break through. The same situation is observed in the convex parts of the walls. If there is a protruding part under the foam sheet, then this contributes to the appearance of voids in those places where there are no tubercles. Therefore, the issue of preparing walls should be taken with special attention and avoid surface differences of more than 1-2 cm.

In cases where the facade has been painted for a long time and the paint has deformed into so-called "burdocks", then it is worth cleaning the surface. If PF paint was used for painting, then it must be knocked down. Next, you should do the following:

• It is recommended to run your palm along the wall and if there are no pieces of paint and other elements left on your hand, then you can do without priming the wall. However, it must be said that the primer brings great benefit and simplifies further processes. Therefore, if your goal is to create the highest quality insulation and the amount of money spent is not scary, it is better to use a primer.
• If, after holding the palm of the hand along the wall, something similar to worn chalk remains in the hand, then it is necessary to prime it.
• If at the moment when the palm slides along the wall, something similar to sand pours, then you need to clean the wall more efficiently. This process must be carried out until the dust stops falling from the wall. Then you need to do the priming process.
• If suddenly, after a long cleaning, sand continues to pour from the wall, then it is worthwhile to putty it with high quality, using PVA. At the first stage of putty, you need to use a sprayer.

The priming process is carried out using conventional mixtures various manufacturers. You can prime with an ordinary brush (mackerel), as well as using a sprayer. It is recommended to use a brush, since this additional cleaning of the wall is performed, but if during the priming process you notice that the sand continues to pour from the wall, then it is better to use a sprayer.

Preparation of sheets of thermal insulation material (regarding XPS)

This information applies only to EPPS, and the mixture "sticks" perfectly to the foam. The fact is that the surface roughness of XPS sheets is lower - they are smooth. Some manufacturers produce XPS with a corrugated surface, which allows you to get rid of additional work and immediately use them in the process of warming. But such an EPPS version is often very difficult to find on sale.

The main task at this stage is to create a rough surface of the XPS sheet. To do this, it is recommended to use a spiked roller, which is very often used for drywall.

The convenience of working with this roller is obvious, because it is enough to roll it over the sheet and the task is completed. Sometimes masters advise to use stationery knife, which can cut shallow furrows, but this work is too long, as the resulting performance is too low.

The preparation of the surface of the sheets is carried out even before gluing them to the wall. It is worth preparing a certain number of sheets in advance for the section of the wall that you are going to make. Sheets should be rolled on both sides. It is also possible to treat the surface of the sheets using an iron brush having a sufficiently high rigidity.

Remember that with foam such actions do not need to be done.

Installation of external elements: ebbs, window sills, as well as slope insulation

The installation of external elements, as well as the sewing of external slopes, should be carried out before the insulation is laid on the walls.

External window sills are attached directly to plastic window. For this, the manufacturer specially provides a special recess on the profile, which serves to fix the window sill. When calculating the removal of the window sill, it is worth considering the thickness of the layer of insulating material. Therefore, the takeaway is calculated according to the formula: the thickness of the heat-insulating material + 1 cm. Usually this value is 3-4 cm. It is not recommended to make a takeaway less than 3 cm, since during rains water will drain through the insulation, which can lead to negative phenomena. Removal of more than 4 cm is not recommended, as this will cause a lot of noise during rain.

For example, if the thickness of the insulation is 50 mm, then the window sill should protrude beyond the uninsulated wall by 10-11 cm (50 mm + 40 mm + 10 mm).

In some cases, the window is installed on the starting profile - a plastic element located under the window and having a rectangular section. In this case, after installing the window sill, a cavity appears under it. In some cases, the considered cavity occurs even in cases where there is no starting cavity. The empty space between the window and the base should not be in any case!

If such a void exists, then over time moisture begins to condense there, which eventually begins to flow out under the insulation or, even worse, into the apartment (house).

Getting rid of the described cavity can be quite simple. It is enough to seal it using an insulating material lubricated with a special adhesive mixture, and you can also use plaster, which should carefully fill the resulting void.

The easiest way is to use a heater, since EPS and polystyrene are well cut with a clerical knife in any direction. The resulting design resembles a kind of blind area made under the windowsill. You can also fill the cavity with mounting foam, which, expanding, will perfectly displace the void. This design will eliminate noise during rain. After laying the foam, the window sill should be pressed down (for example, with bricks) for a period of about 3 hours.

It is important to understand that in order to avoid damage to the window sill during installation, the film pasted on it by the manufacturer should not be removed. It must be removed after the completion of all work related to insulation.

The outer slopes of the windows also need to be insulated. Usually, after the installation of windows, only 20-30 mm remains for the insulation material, otherwise the insulation and the materials used with it will fall on the glass. This means that for this operation it is necessary to use foam or EPS, which have a smaller thickness than the material that is used to insulate the facade itself. At the same time, one should not forget that in addition to the insulation, other materials (fastening) are used, the layer of which is approximately 1 cm. This means that if the distance from the surface of the slope to a line parallel to it extending from the edge of the glass is 40 mm, then the thickness of the insulation should not exceed 30 mm.

Distance between slope and window

The issues of installing the material and the use of adhesive mixtures will be described later.

During the installation of the insulation material on the surface of the slope, it is worthwhile to ensure that the insulation protrudes slightly (approximately 1 cm) and do not cut it off. After that, this part of the insulation will be more convenient to join with the main facade part of the insulation.

Protrusion of a heater for a slope

Gluing insulation

Installation of insulation on the walls is carried out after the work on the installation of window sills and insulation of slopes has been completed.

In this article, we will consider fixing the insulation in two ways at the same time: gluing and nailing. In this case, it is possible to achieve the highest quality fasteners, and this is noticeable already during the first time the building is in operation.

Bonding insulation starts from the bottom of the facade. A special so-called starting bar is installed here, which is fastened using quick installation. Some do without this item, but the presence starting bar allows you to achieve the best result, as well as reduce the likelihood of movement of those sheets of insulation that have already been glued. Sheets of material until the adhesive mixture dries completely can move along the surface of the wall. Movement can occur at a distance of up to 10 cm, which is a large value. The starting bar is a reliable support for the first row of sheets and allows you to get rid of their movement (sliding).

For gluing, you will need two spatulas: a small one (8-10 cm) and a large one (20 cm). The small spatula serves as a spatula for spreading mortar over the larger spatula. If you are working with a flat wall, the surface differences of which do not exceed 1 cm, then it is quite successful to use a comb - a spatula with teeth. If the unevenness of the wall exceeds 1 cm, then the solution is applied to the wall. After all, the surface of the sheet is always even, and by applying the solution to the wall, you can smooth out all the irregularities, using a larger amount of the solution in the appropriate places. Many recommend applying the mixture to the surface of the sheet in an even layer. Such a decision cannot be called correct, since as a result it turns out that a rather large part of the sheet hangs in the air due to the unevenness of the wall. In addition, the sheet on which the mixture was applied weighs 3-5 kg ​​more, which complicates its installation - it is inconvenient for the master to hold it, press it, etc.

The scheme of applying glue under the sheet of insulation on the wall

You can smear the mixture only on even walls, so if the surface of the facade has many irregularities, the smearing step is skipped.

On uneven surfaces, it is recommended to place about 9 so-called mixture slippers on the wall (1 in the center and 8 around the perimeter). Moreover, bugs can be of various sizes. The main task of this stage is to smooth the relief of the wall and create a flat surface. In this case, you need to try to qualitatively smooth out all the depressions that are on the surface.

If there are clearly protruding areas of the wall, they should be eliminated or an appropriate cavity should be made in the corresponding foam sheet so that the sheet and wall join is as tight as possible and there are no cavities between these objects. However, it will not be possible to create a recess in the EPS, so the mixture should be applied to the convex places of the wall in a very thin layer.

Epps sheet edge with a quarter

After the mixture is applied, proceed to the direct gluing of the sheets. A sheet is carefully attached, then pressed and slammed with the palm of your hand. The strength of the claps must be calculated in such a way that no dents appear on the surface of the insulation material.

Some XPS sheets are produced with a quarter - a small protrusion of the surface, which has half the thickness. This allows you to perform high-quality joining of sheets to each other and increase the thermal insulation effect.

Scheme of laying plates in a checkerboard pattern

It is important that after fastening the sheets, the joints are T-shaped, that is, the rows are staggered.

Between the processes of gluing and nailing, it is recommended to withstand a period of about three days. This allows the mixture to dry and set, while the insulation "sits down". In the case of self-insulation, the mentioned three days are obtained automatically, since usually the work is carried out certain areas. Of course, every master wants to finish the work as quickly as possible, but in this case you should not count on a quick completion, because half (and even less) of the work is done from the ground, and the rest will require the installation of scaffolds. Therefore, it is best to distribute tasks so as not to rearrange scaffolds in the same place several times. Therefore, it is best to do the work in stages, and not to do first pasting the whole house, and then nailing.

Also, if the whole house was pasted over first, the foam or XPS boards will have to be under straight lines for a long time. sunbeams which has a negative impact. Even storage of insulation boards lying in a pile under the open sun is not allowed. Moreover, during rain, the foam is able to absorb moisture.

Therefore, it is better to work in sections and bring each section in a timely manner until the leveling layer is applied. The fates will have a height equal to the height of the master, and their width will be determined by the width of the scaffold. Under the word "plot" will continue to be taken precisely the area of ​​the specified size.

How to nail insulation

The first thing to remember is the fact that the nailing of the insulation should be done at least three days after the gluing was done. Before this period, this operation should not be performed. Moreover, the weather affects the drying of the mixture. If you start drilling holes in the insulation before the mixture dries, the insulation sheets can easily move away from the wall, forming cavities, which have a negative effect on the result of insulation. Moreover, if it happens that the nail falls into the depression, the edges of the sheet will rise, which will again cause the appearance of voids. In this case, the edges will have to be fixed with additional fungi.

As already mentioned, so-called fungi are used to create a more reliable fastening of insulation sheets to the wall. Such a mushroom consists of two elements: a plastic circle-cap with a sleeve-leg and a nail. The nail is driven into the sleeve, expanding its lower part, which extends into the wall. This creates a reliable connection that can last for many years.

fungus example

The nail can be metal or plastic. Naturally, a metal nail will be more durable, but it is a good conductor of heat that goes into the wall. Therefore, a plastic nail create the best conditions for thermal insulation. Don't go after cheap plastic nails and fungus, as they tend to be quite soft and can't take a lot of pressure. Buying the more expensive ones, you can't go wrong!

After selecting a site, drilling of holes begins using a puncher. In this case, a drill is used, the diameter of which is 10 mm. The depth of the hole is 2 cm greater than the length of the fungus. If you drill a hole, the depth of which will match the length of the fungus, the latter will not be able to fully enter, as debris will fall into the hole after drilling. The length of the used fungi must be determined as follows: the thickness of the insulation boards + 10 mm + 40-50 mm deepening into the wall. If the thickness of the insulation is 50 mm, then the length of the fungus will be as follows: 50+10+50=110 mm. In this case, the depth of the hole will be: 11 + 2 \u003d 13 cm, therefore, the length of the drill should slightly exceed 13 cm.

The location of the holes on the insulation sheet

The most common option for placing fungi is an arrangement similar to the number 5 on dice. That is, four fungi are located near the corners of the sheet and one in the center.

Location of fungi (option)

It should be said that there are more practical option allowing you to create the most solid construction: mushrooms are placed at each point where three seam lines intersect and one fungus is placed in the center of each sheet. This arrangement will achieve maximum strength and eliminate further deformations and lagging sheets of insulation material. If you think that in some places there has been a rise in insulation, then it will not be superfluous to drive the fungus into the appropriate points.

The above example of the location of the fungi is considered the most practical, since it is possible to firmly fix the joint, which is more dense and evenly adjacent to the wall surface. After all, the insulation is slightly bent due to the unevenness of the walls and therefore it must be pressed in critical places.

If we consider the scale of the wall, one rule should be noted here: fungi should not be driven in closer than 5-10 cm from the edge of the wall or corner.

When the holes are ready, you should start driving in the fungi! It is the fungi themselves without nails. If they fit well, then you can knock them out with your fist, but most often a hammer is used for this purpose. It is necessary to hammer in until the cap of the fungus is level with the plane of the insulating material. If you are unable to drive the fungus to the desired depth, then most likely the drill used was demolished (its diameter decreased). Replacing the drill solves this problem. However, you will need to pull out the fungus, re-drill the hole, and then mount the fungus again.

At the moment when in this area all the fungi are placed in their places, you should start driving nails into these same fungi. During nailing, the fungi will move inward a little - this process is considered normal. A well-hammered nail and a fungus cap should sink into the insulation by 1-2 mm, but no more! If the nail does not hammer further and sticks out to a height of up to 1 cm, then it should be cut using wire cutters.

How to properly process the joints of insulation and fungi

After the work on fixing the insulation in a particular area is completed, it is worth taking a closer look and determining the presence of joints whose size exceeds 5 mm. Such joints are often found on walls where there are rather large irregularities, especially if foam is used. All joints larger than 5 mm must be carefully foamed. You ask: "Why not foam those joints that are less than 5 mm?". The answer is simple: the "nose" of the gun will not fit into such joints. If there are joints that have a width of 2 cm or more, then in such cases it is necessary to cut out narrow strips of insulating material and, putting them in the appropriate places, foam them.

The drying process of the foam lasts 4-5 hours. At this time, it increases in volume and crawls out. After the specified time has elapsed, the excess peta should be cut off.

Grater for correcting foam joints

At the same time, you need to look finished plot and determine if there are protruding joints on it. If there are any, you need to use a special device - a foam grater. This tool is similar to a regular kitchen grater, but it has a comfortable handle on one side.

With the help of a grater, it will be possible to completely get rid of the irregularities that occur at the joints (protruding parts). It is important to understand that EPPS cannot be erased with such a grater, since, unlike polystyrene, it cannot be peeled off. If EPPS is used, then you can get rid of the unevenness of the joints using a clerical knife.

After performing all of the above operations, all joints of the heat-insulating material and fungal caps should be lubricated with an adhesive mixture. In this case, it is best to use a large spatula (200 mm). All places where the mixture is applied must be even. If during the lubrication process you saw an unevenness, then after the mixture has dried, you need to get rid of it. In this case, you can use a grater or spatula.

What is the difference between the process of gluing and nailing if the insulation is laid in two layers

In some cases, it is required that the thickness of the insulation be 60-80 mm. This means that you will have to use two layers of insulation material. For example, to achieve a thickness of 80 mm, you can fold two sheets of material with a thickness of 50 and 30 mm.

The first layer of thermal insulation material is glued as described above. That is, there are no changes for the first layer. Then we start gluing the second layer. In this case, the sheets are arranged in such a way as to close the joints of the sheets of the first layer. In this case, it is better to apply the adhesive mixture on the sheet that will be glued - it is more convenient. The layer is applied under the comb in an even layer, after which the sheet of material is simply pressed against the wall.

When two layers of insulation are used, the joints of the first layer can not be filled with foam. Also, they can not be overwritten. You can limit yourself to cleaning the protruding residues of the mixture located at the joints. You will have to foam the joints located on the second layer. This operation is performed after nailing.

When the gluing of the sheets of the second layer is completed, we proceed to nailing the insulation using all the same fungi. This operation is performed in the same way as described above. The only point worth focusing on is the choice of the length of the fungi. It should be enough for the total thickness of the insulation material.

And remember: if both layers consist of XPS, then it is required to roll both sheets on both sides with a spiked roller.

Next, consider the rules for plastering foam. Let's also look at all preparatory work: preparation and process of gluing the plaster mesh, grouting, applying a special leveling layer, preparing the mixture involved in the process of foam plastic plastering and grouting the leveling layer.

The process of gluing the mesh to all corners of the building

Before the mesh is glued to the plane of the walls, it should be glued to all available corners. In this case, we are talking not only about the corners of the building, but also about the corners formed on the slopes, etc.

Corners can be made using a grid or a plastic perforated corner. In the process of insulating the walls of an apartment located in apartment building and located above the first floor, you can use the grid. If we are talking about a private house or an apartment located on the ground floor, then it is better to use a corner, since sometimes there may be mechanical effects on the corners during the operation of the building.

Directions of movement of the spatula when gluing the mesh to the corner

This step involves changing the type of mixture. At the beginning, an adhesive mixture was used, and now it will participate in creating a protective layer. This issue will be described in more detail below.

The mesh used must be positioned as "mesh for external facade work", and it must also be resistant to alkalis. The network is intended for internal works, is used, as a rule, on gypsum plaster. When using it in cement mixture, she will fall apart. The recommended mesh density is 140-160gsm. m. Note that the larger the grid density parameter, the more Smooth surface succeed. However, this will make it more difficult to make the corner pieces.

Location of mesh for subsequent overlap and joint

Let's start pasting the corners with a grid. In this case, the option will be described precisely using the grid, and not the corners, since working with the corners is much simpler, because they are sold ready-made. The corners are simply glued to the corner using an adhesive mixture. To make corners from a grid, you will need to cut strips from it that are 30 cm wide. For larger corners of the house, you can use a strip with a width of up to 1 m, and for slope angles, depending on the length of the slopes themselves.

Taking a strip of mesh, bend it into two equal halves. In this case, appropriate efforts must be made so that the bend remains on the grid. Now, with a larger spatula (200 mm), we evenly apply the adhesive mixture to the corner. The thickness of the mixture should be 2-3 mm, and the width of the applied strip should be about 5-7 cm on either side of the bend. Next, we apply a greased mesh and then smooth it with a spatula from the very corner to the bottom and at the same time to the side, making the so-called diagonal movements.

Conveniently and inconveniently cut mesh

As a result, we get an angle at which about 5-7 cm of the mesh is glued on both sides, and the rest (approximately the same -5-7 cm) remains clean.

Small remnants of a clean grid are prerequisite, since this will create the best mesh joints.

Note. Usually the rosary is sold in rolls and therefore can be used by cutting strips of the desired width across. In this case, strips 1 m long will be obtained. Moreover, it is necessary to fold the mesh in such a way that its edges are pressed against the corner (due to the cylindrical shape of the roll).

Mesh gluing

Do not forget that at this stage a mixture is used that creates a protective layer.

The stage under consideration requires a spatula with a width of at least 350 mm. The work is carried out in small areas, having a width of about 90 cm and a length of 1 m. The width is 90 cm, since 10 cm of the mesh must be left clean in order to ensure the best fit of the mesh in the future. Only a meter of mesh is used in height, since in good dry weather the mixture dries very quickly and you need to have time to apply it in a timely manner, then you still need to put the mesh, and also iron it with a spatula over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe piece. And if pieces are used that have a height of more than 1 m, then you can simply not have time to complete all the steps.

So, we have a plot 1 m high and 90 cm wide, where we put the mixture. We use a small spatula to apply the mixture to a large one. At the same time, we stretch a kind of sausage of the mixture over all the width of a large spatula. Next, place the mixture on the insulation and evenly stretch it. The mixture layer should have a thickness of about 2-3 mm. Next, we apply the grid so that 10 cm of it in width is placed on a clean (not lubricated) foam or XPS. Next, you need to smooth the applied mixture with a wide spatula. In this case, it is necessary to smooth from the center to the edges and at the same time down. The mesh should evenly “stick” into the applied mixture. When smoothing the mesh, you need to add a little mixture to it so that the mesh is covered. The normal view is when it is in the mixture, but very little of it is visible.

Note. Since it is not entirely clear how the scaffolding will be arranged when performing a task in specific areas, it is difficult to immediately determine which area to choose for work. One option is to stick and nail insulation to the height of one floor and to the width of the scaffolds used (2-3 m). Pasting the mesh should be carried out from the upper left corner of the selected area. After all, the mesh is twisted into a roll and you need to make a strip from top to bottom, while not cutting the mesh, and only vertical seams need to be joined. We start from above, being on the scaffold, we make 1.5-2 m in height, and then we go down. We make it to the bottom, while not making horizontal cuts in the grid.

Mesh joints

The principle by which the joining of vertical and horizontal joints is the same. It is necessary, as already described, to leave the edge of 7-10 cm clean. Then it is necessary to smear the next section with the mixture, grabbing a clean strip, overlap the mesh by 7-10 cm and level it all with a spatula. Thus, it is possible to obtain joints that are smooth from above, characterized by evenness and firmly fixed to each other.

Overlap and seam mesh

Grout

Now the resulting surface, consisting of a mesh glued to the mixture, must be carefully rubbed. To perform this operation, you will need a plastic grater, on which emery is screwed.

There are mesh graters, but they are not suitable for grouting this surface and are used only in interior work. It would be more accurate to say that it is not the grater itself that is not good, but the mesh, instead of which emery should be installed.

Grouting is done after the mixture dries well. Recall that in sunny and dry weather, complete drying requires only half a day. But it is best to take the whole day to dry, while doing work in another area. If it happens that during grouting the tool falls on a non-dried mixture, then the emery will immediately need to be changed, since it will stop rubbing normally.

Leveling layer

The leveling layer is also applied with a wide trowel (350 mm). With a small spatula, we still put the mixture on a large one, and then level it all on the wall. The thickness is 2-3 mm, and the layer must be applied in separate sections, since the mixture fits well. It is recommended to make sure that the joints of the reinforcing and leveling layers do not coincide.

Types of mixture and its density

There are many manufacturers offering facade and exterior mixes. The most famous of them are: Chrysel, Master, Stolit, Ceresit, Ekomiks, Tokan. Each of these mixtures allows you to make a quality facade. But we should not forget about some points, which will be discussed below:

If XPS or polystyrene boards are used in the insulation process, then the packaging from the mixture should indicate “for polystyrene foam boards”.

There are universal mixtures that allow you to glue the plates and create a protective layer. And there are also mixtures intended only for gluing plates. Therefore, check this information with the seller, as some manufacturers produce only universal mixtures, and some produce both.

How to knead and how much

The consumption of the mixture varies depending on the degree of unevenness of the wall and is usually 4-6 kg per square meter. m. Proportions are usually indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging, but you should adhere to the following recommendations:

• For gluing plates, it is better to use a thicker mixture than the manufacturer recommends. If you put it on a spatula, the mixture should look like jelly: do not spill and keep its shape.
• Mesh gluing can be made with a more liquid consistency than that indicated by the manufacturer. Density is determined in practice by selection - the mesh should stick well into it, and the leveling process should be quite simple.
• To create a leveling layer, it is best to use a mixture that is even thinner than the mixture used to glue the mesh. However, it should not drain from the spatula.

Leveling layer grout

In this case, the operation is performed in exactly the same way as grouting the layer to which the mesh is glued. The same grater with emery is used. Before grouting the leveling layer, do not install a new emery.

Primer

Before execution fine finish the façade needs to be primed. If it is planned to use decorative plaster, then the following appropriate primer must be used, the packaging of which indicates that it is intended for priming a reinforced protective layer. When considering this primer, something similar to fine sand will be observed in it. The recommended brand is Ceresit ST 16. In cases where decorative facade plastering will not be performed, it is required to use a primer such as Ceresit ST 17 (no sand) and paint.

General questions regarding the sequence of work

It is better to work, performing individual sections, until the stage when the glued mesh is already overwritten. That is, all work that goes before applying the leveling layer should be divided into sections. At some point, the whole house will be covered with a grid. Then it is worth applying a leveling layer (in sections). Then a primer is performed, and after that - a fine finish.

Don't forget to create quality system drainage so that as little moisture as possible gets on the surface of the plaster. This will maintain an attractive appearance, extend the life of the insulation and maintain its effectiveness. The result will be high-quality insulation and a beautiful view of the house!

It doesn't matter what house you live in: it can be your own Vacation home, cottage, apartment in a high-rise building and other structures. You always want to live in warmth and comfort, for which you definitely need to take care of covering the house with insulating materials. If the walls are properly and efficiently insulated, you will not have to worry that they will freeze in the cold, the heat in your home will remain to the maximum.

How to insulate a house with foam?

Especially you can’t do without insulation if your house is built of beams, because they are not able to save heat, as a result of which you will have to pay decent amounts for heating the house in the winter cold.

So that the insulation of the house does not cost a pretty penny, it has become popular to use foam. Polyfoam is not only cheap, but also has the following advantages:

• light weight;
• unhindered breathability;
• able to suppress noise;
• has a high level of thermal resistance;
• not afraid of moisture;
• easy to work and decorate.

Because warm house- the key to a properly executed installation of insulating material, further in the article we will tell you how to insulate a house with polystyrene foam, doing everything with your own hands quickly and efficiently.

What is styrofoam?

We warm a private house with foam

First of all, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that polystyrene is a material in which there is no vapor permeability; it is strictly forbidden to use it for sheathing a room from the inside.

The density of the foam is also very important. Most suitable option the density should be about 25. If you decide to insulate the walls with a less dense material, there will be a possibility of injuring the surfaces, and too dense material will lead to unjustified financial waste, because excessive density will not affect the thermal insulation characteristics in any way.

Third, no less important point- the thickness of the foam, on which the quality of surface insulation directly depends. It is best to use foam with a thickness of 50mm, but you can also purchase thicker material, no one forbids you, and a thickness of 100mm also has a right to exist. By using thicker foam, prepare to see a higher price point. To avoid rash and unnecessary financial investments, you can attract experienced craftsmen who will hold correct calculations and pick up best option for your climate zone. When calculating, they will take into account the following indicators:

• average temperatures;
• the thickness of the walls that you plan to sheathe;
• the material from which those walls are made and much more.

Comparative characteristics of conventional foam with extruded are shown in the table below.

As can be seen from the table, it is more appropriate to insulate the house with extruded foam plastic, the technical features of which are superior to conventional foam sheets in many respects.

What can not be done without while working with polystyrene foam?

Do-it-yourself insulation of the house with polystyrene foam

Before you insulate the house from the outside with extruded foam, you need to acquire building materials and devices that you cannot do without in such a matter. Working with polystyrene foam you will need:

• perforator;
• sharp knife;
• several different spatulas;
• dowels made of plastic with a wide cap;
• glue;
• reinforcement;
• rule;
• putty for work outside the house;
• priming;
• metal spacers;
• decorative material for facade decoration.

Home insulation technology

Insulation of the house with foam plastic yourself

Warming a wooden house with polystyrene foam, like any other building, requires high-quality surface preparation.

It is very important to properly prepare the surfaces:

• remove the old finishing material;
• clean the surface;
• repair cavities and clean out bulges;

Of course, you absolutely do not need an ideal surface, but severe damage and defects are also unacceptable, because they will not allow the surface to be properly sheathed and cold bridges can form.

Then, as the surface is properly prepared, you can start impregnating it with a primer solution. The primer must be of deep action, which will increase the level of adhesion with the mounting adhesive.

At the next stage, it is possible to directly insulate surfaces with extruded foam.

For such work, you need to dilute the adhesive mass with water following the instructions. The mass should be well mixed without dry breasts, and the consistency should be homogeneous, not too thick, but not too liquid - it is better that the density resembles the consistency of sour cream.

To apply mounting adhesive with your own hands, you can use a spatula with teeth, but do not rush to cover the entire surface with it. It can dry out very quickly and you won't be able to treat the area properly.

In order for the cladding of the building from the outside with polystyrene foam to be done correctly, follow the following sequence of actions:

1. cover the wall with glue (the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe wall must correspond to the size of the foam sheet);
2. lay out the heater;
3. apply glue under the second sheet of styrofoam and so on.

This sequence indicates that it is very important that the sheets are laid gradually, and the joints of the canvas are carefully lubricated with glue.

In order to properly insulate the house from the outside with penoplex with your own hands, control the evenness of the plates.

To keep the sheets as firmly as possible on the walls, they can not only be pressed tightly against the surface of the walls, but also fixed with special fasteners. For these purposes, it is better to choose dowels that need to be inserted into the wall 50 mm, or even deeper.

So that the fasteners do not fall into the insulation, it is worth acquiring metal spacers. Before screwing the dowels, holes must first be made in the foam using a puncher or drill.

Please note that you do not need to press the foam hard, because it can crack from your excessive exposure.

When the insulation of the building from the outside is completed, it will be necessary to attach reinforcement to the wall. To do this, you'd better cut it into strips of the same size that match the length of the walls. Then, with a wide spatula, spread the glue over the surface under one strip of the mesh, lay it on the surface and smooth it with a spatula to avoid hitches. Apply the next strip of reinforcement overlapping, this will avoid cracking the material at the joints.

Sheathing the house with foam plastic requires finishing, because the untreated reinforced surface does not look very attractive, and the constant exposure to natural disasters will damage the integrity and quality of the finish.

As a finish on the outside of the house, you can use decorative plaster or paint. But, before applying them to the surface, the wall must be puttied.

Before you begin to sheathe your house outside with insulation materials, read these recommendations for work:

• in order to sheathe the house with high quality and save as much money as possible on utility bills during the heating period, select a foam plastic with a density of 25 and a thickness of 40 mm;
• if you were unable to buy a special glue, you can use the usual glue-cement, which is used for ceramics;
• purchase a reinforcing mesh with a mesh size of 5mm;
• so that the foam is more firmly fixed on the wall, before applying the adhesive mass, the surface can be treated with a needle roller, which forms additional perforation;
• in order to increase the level of adhesion of the foam plastic with the reinforcing mesh, it is worth priming the surface before laying it.

In conclusion, I would like to add that by observing the above foam plastic installation technology, you can get warm housing without disturbing its microclimate. Thus, in the work you will not make any mistakes and reduce the amount of heat loss in your home.

As you can see, such warming of the house does not take much time and your family budget will not incur large financial expenses if you carry out the work on your own, without involving expensive specialists.

Do you want to get cozy and warm housing, the temperature in which does not depend on the vagaries of the weather? Then you should insulate the walls from the outside with foam. Don't know where to start and how to get started with this work? In this case, study this article - it will give you answers to your questions.

Insulation of walls from the outside with foam

First, let's get acquainted with the material that will be discussed in the article. Styrofoam is a polymeric insulation produced in the form of white boards. The material has a pronounced granular structure, and each individual grain contains many voids filled with gas. It is their presence that gives the foam excellent thermal insulation qualities. For other material properties, see the table.

Styrofoam slabs

Table. Polyfoam - the main characteristics.

Important! When buying foam, pay attention to the fact that it has flame retardant additives, and the pores in the grains contain non-combustible carbon dioxide.

Facade insulation with foam plastic

The advantages of polystyrene include:

• low cost;
• good thermal insulation qualities;
• small mass;
• ease of processing and installation;
• unattractive to bacteria and fungus;
• high durability.

As for the shortcomings of the foam, there are two of them. The first is the combustibility of the material. The second is low vapor permeability, which, in the event of an error in the design or installation of insulation, can lead to mold on the main wall.

Styrofoam as insulation

The main task performed by insulation is to shift the dew point outward. Consider three building options.

1. In the first case, there is only a wall without any insulation. The dew point is located inside the material, there is a significant temperature difference between its outer and inner sides. As a result, a lot of heat escapes through the wall, condensation forms in the house, and the service life of the material drops significantly due to dampness.
2. In the second case, the insulation is located from the inside. The dew point shifts to the area between it and the wall. Heat losses are significantly reduced, but dampness remains. There is also a risk of mold appearing between the insulation and the wall.
3. In the third case, the insulation is located outside, the dew point is shifted beyond the wall of the house. The latter is now not subject to dampness and does not lose heat.

Dew point location

Styrofoam insulation for external walls. All components of the system are highlighted and signed

Preparing exterior walls for insulation

Construction work related to the insulation of the facade of the house with polystyrene foam begins with the preparation of the walls. They need to be cleaned, leveled, primed, etc. All these actions are described in more detail in the step-by-step instructions below.

Step 1. To work at a height exceeding human height, build scaffolding. You can make them yourself from the timber and boards available on the site, but it is safer to use factory-made products.

Dismantled scaffolding

Assembly of factory scaffolding

The distance from the walls to the scaffolding should be equal to the thickness of the insulation layer (in this case it is 20 cm) plus another 30-40 cm for the working space

When erecting scaffolding, be sure to check the correctness of their position vertically and horizontally using a level

Step 2 Inspect the walls for various defects. Coat cracks and holes, chip off the build-up of mortar. Prepare openings for water and gas pipelines and other utilities.

Removing mortar streaks

Step 3 Treat the wall with a deep penetration primer. Since the house in the example is made of aerated concrete blocks, two layers will be required. For the first time, the primer must be diluted by adding water from a third to a half of the total volume.

First, the primer must be diluted with water.

Wall treatment with a deep penetration primer

Important! Primer treatment in two layers is necessary not only for aerated concrete, but also for other porous materials, such as foam blocks and sand-lime bricks.

Step 4 Apply a second coat of primer, but not diluted with water.

Applying a second coat of primer

Wall insulation from the outside with foam plastic - step by step instructions

After completing the preparation, proceed to laying the polystyrene foam boards. In this case, their mounting on the wall will be combined - both glue and dowels with "umbrellas" are used.

The process itself will include:

• laying polystyrene foam for insulation on ordinary walls of the house;
• on window and door openings;
• at the corners;
• on the space under the roof of the cottage.

For all processes from this list, separate step-by-step instructions have been compiled, which can be found in the subsections of the article below.

Wall insulation from the outside with foam plastic - step by step instructions

Working with Regular Walls

Let's start warming the house from the outside with foam. Let's start with a relatively simple one - mounting the first row of polystyrene foam boards and laying them on ordinary walls.

Step 1. Measure how smooth the walls of the house you are insulating are, identify the presence of differences in thickness. To do this, use either a stretched thread or a laser level.

Checking the evenness of the walls

Step 2 Set a mark at the bottom of the wall and draw a line from it along which the first row of polystyrene foam plates will be laid.

Marked at the bottom

A line is drawn along which the first row will be laid

Important! In this case, when insulating the walls from the outside, the foam is laid directly on the foundation - it is even enough for this. In other situations, install a special aluminum support profile before installing the EPS boards.

Step 3 Mix the adhesive for mounting the polystyrene foam insulation. To do this, dilute the dry mixture in water. Choose the proportions based on the instructions printed on the glue package. Stir the solution using a mixer or a drill with an appropriate nozzle, working at low speed.

Water is poured first

Then the dry mixture is added

Step 4 Prepare polystyrene boards for the first row of insulation. In this case, a cutout is created in each of them, as in the diagram below. Cutting polystyrene foam plates is carried out using a special table with a hot nichrome thread. In the absence of such equipment, use a hacksaw with a fine tooth.

The block from the first row of foam insulation is indicated by a red arrow

Cutting foam plastic with a hot nichrome thread

Step 5 Apply adhesive to the first block. To start, make a thin strip around the perimeter by pressing the trowel into the Styrofoam. Then add more mortar, bringing the layer thickness to 25-30 mm. In the center of the block, apply several adhesive dots, their number depends on the area of ​​the insulation element.

How to apply adhesive

Applying the first thin layer of adhesive around the perimeter of the block

Application of the second layer, more voluminous. In the process of working with it, be careful - the glue should not get on the ends of the foam block

Glue points in the center of the block are indicated by arrows

Step 6 Perform a test laying of the styrofoam block. The purpose of the event is to find out what proportion of the total area is occupied by glue. To do this, lean the block against the wall, and then set it back. Depending on the thickness of the insulation layer, the adhesive contact area should be 40-60% of the total.

Test laying of insulation

Step 7 On paper or directly on the wall, prepare the marks on which the polystyrene blocks will be placed. Lay the slabs in the same way as brickwork - the top row is shifted to the side relative to the bottom so that the vertical seams do not match. The allowable distance is from 15 cm, otherwise the seams will become "cold bridges". You can get acquainted with the layout of the foam blocks in the images below.

The layout of the foam blocks

The same, but the distances are indicated

Step 8 Proceed with laying the first block - apply the adhesive on it as shown earlier, lean against the marked place and lean it. Then align the position of the product. This will help you with a thread stretched along the upper edge of the first row of blocks, and the usual building level.

Laying the first block

First block alignment

Important! Use small pieces of Styrofoam as pads to support the first row of blocks.

A piece of styrofoam as a lining

Step 9 Following the same principle as in the previous step, lay the second, third and subsequent blocks of the first row.

Laying subsequent blocks of the first row

Step 10 Then lay the remaining rows of foam insulation. You can read about how to do this at corners and openings in the following subsections of the article. Dock the blocks to each other tightly, fill the gaps with polystyrene foam glue, polyurethane foam or thin pieces of material.

Gap filling

Step 11 After the glue or mounting foam has dried, with which you filled the joints between the blocks, cut off the excess with a construction knife.

Removing excess glue

Step 12 Use the rule to determine how even the insulation layer turned out. Protruding areas grind with a special grater.

Grinding protruding areas

Corner insulation

Installation of insulation at the corners occurs according to the following scheme - on one side, the block extends beyond the wall boundary at a distance equal to the thickness of the block installed on the second side. On the next row, the order of location of the foam insulation elements is reversed. By a similar principle, blocks are installed on internal corners. For a better idea, check out the images below.

The location of the block on one side of the corner with access to the boundary of the wall

Installing the block on the other side butt up with what goes beyond the wall. The excess is cut off with a saw

The first block of the second row

Subsequent blocks

Installation of foam blocks on the second row of the corner - the sides change

The scheme of applying glue to the corner block. The part that goes beyond the border of the wall must remain clean - the solution cannot be applied to it.

Scheme of laying polystyrene boards on internal corners

Now let's look at how the installation of foam blocks on the corners of the building actually takes place.

Step 1. Mark one of the foam blocks. Select the part that will go beyond the border of the wall at the corner and the part that will be glued to the surface.

Insulation plate layout

Another photo of the process

Step 2 On the part of the block that is glued to the wall at the corner, apply the mortar mixed earlier. Perform this operation carefully - the glue should not get on the other part of the product that you previously separated using the markings.

Applying the mortar to the part of the block that is glued to the wall at the corner

The solution is applied

Step 3 Lean the block against the wall so that the adhesive adheres to the surface. Align horizontally and vertically, be sure to use the building level.

The block is attached to the wall

Block Alignment

Step 4 Measure how long a block you will need to install on the other part of the corner. Cut off the excess with a fine-toothed hacksaw.

Cutting line drawing

Block pruning

Step 5 Apply glue to the back of the foam and place the block on the other side of the corner. Connect it tightly to the product that you installed a few operations ago.

Block installation

Step 6 Cut off the protruding part of the first block with a hacksaw. At the end, you should have a right angle without any defects. If there is a gap between the blocks, then cover it with special glue for polystyrene foam or mounting foam. By the same principle that was outlined in this instruction, work with the rest of the external and internal corners of the building.

The protruding part is cut off

Insulation of window / door openings and walls next to them

To begin with, consider the principle by which the walls are insulated near the doorway. Here the main task for you will be to provide enough space for opening and closing. There are two options for mounting the frame and door.

1. The door is installed flush with the outer side of the insulation layer. In this case, you need special fasteners for it and supports in the form of channels. You can see the diagrams of their installation in the image below.
2. The door is installed flush with the main wall. As a result, it turns out to be "drowned" in the insulation. To ensure the normal opening of the door, the polystyrene foam at the edges of the opening has to be filed.

Installation of the door flush with the outer side of the insulation layer, top view

Fasteners can be seen on the sides of the door frame

Since the door, when fastened at the same level with the insulation, strongly protrudes forward, it is not the base that acts as a support for it, but two well-fixed channels

Installing the door flush with the main wall. The process of mounting the frame and canvas takes place as usual, but the insulation in the opening must be filed. Otherwise, when opening the door, it will constantly rub against it, scratch and spoil the insulation itself.

Imagine the process of laying insulation near the doorway in the form of step-by-step instructions. In this case, the option is considered with the installation of the frame and the door itself at a level with the main wall.

Step 1. Pick up the right number of blocks and file them from the edge with a regular hacksaw with fine teeth.

The edge of the block is sawn

Step 2 Install a frame in the doorway, if this has not been done before.

Step 3 Degrease the surface of the door frame.

Degreasing the surface of the door frame

Step 4 Prepare the required number of profiles for thermal insulation of openings. Unpack them, measure and cut. In this case, the edges of the profile adjacent to the corners of the openings must be cut at an angle of 45 °.

Preparation of profiles for thermal insulation of openings

Fitting

Profile cropping

Step 5 Remove the protective tape from the adhesive layer of the profile and fix it on one side of the opening. Make sure the profile fits snugly against the surface.

Profile fixing

Step 6 Glue the profiles on the other sides of the opening in the same way. In the corners, join them tightly to each other with cuts made at an angle of 45 ° in one of the previous stages of work.

Installation of profiles on the other sides of the opening

Step 7 Prepare fiberglass strips. Their width should be equal to the thickness of the insulation layer plus 10 cm for fastening to the main wall. In this case, the strip is cut off from a single mesh roll.

Fiberglass roll cutting

Step 8 Along the perimeter of the opening, apply a strip of adhesive mixture 10 cm wide on the wall.

Adhesive mix strip

Step 9 Rest a strip of fiberglass mesh with one of the edges on the glue applied in the previous step. Press the material against it, literally "drown".

The edge of the fiberglass mesh is pressed against the adhesive

Step 10 From above, apply another layer of glue to the part of the grid leaning against the wall.

Adhesive is applied on top

Step 11 Repeat the previous mesh operations for the other sides of the doorway.

The same is done with other parties.

Step 12 Install foam blocks with cut edges around the perimeter of the opening.

Installation of insulation blocks

The situation with window openings is approximately the same - the block itself with a frame and glass can be installed both in the depth of the opening and on its edge. In the first case, a gap appears between the outer layer of insulation and the window, which is closed by narrow strips of foam. They are laid on the glue in the inner surfaces of the opening.

Installing a window block "in the depths" of the opening. You can see the gap between the frame and the insulation layer

Same window setup, but top view. Added a narrow strip of styrofoam on the inside surface of the opening. It covers the resulting gap, which otherwise could become a "cold bridge"

In the second option, the window is mounted on the edge of the opening, with the frame adjacent to the insulation layer on the outer wall. This method is more effective in terms of thermal insulation.

Regardless of the installation method, the foam layer on the outer walls should slightly overlap the window block in order to prevent the house from freezing through it during the cold season.

Scheme of installing a window block with contact with a layer of insulation

It is also worth saying that the joints of the polystyrene blocks should not coincide with the joint of the window block with the opening. Therefore, along the perimeter, the insulation is installed in the form of products with L-shaped cutouts. There are two options for how to do this, and they are presented in the images below.

First option

Second option

The process of insulating walls with foam plastic near window openings is in many ways similar to that for a doorway. Here is a step by step guide.

Step 1. Install the window block, move it closer to the edge of the opening and fix it well there.

Installing a window block

Window unit fixing

Step 2 Remove the protective film from the frame and degrease the latter.

Frame degreasing

Step 3 Glue a special profile around the perimeter of the frame.

A profile is glued around the perimeter

Step 4 Apply a 10 mm wide adhesive strip along the perimeter of the profile on the wall.

Glue application

Step 5 On the glue applied in the previous step, fix the fiberglass strip according to the same principles as for the doorway.

Fiberglass strip fastening

Step 6 Cut out the blocks in accordance with the diagrams outlined in the images in this section of the article. Fasten around the perimeter of the opening.

Installation of insulation blocks

Important! When fixing the foam plastic under the window opening, make a slight slope necessary to install the ebb.

Slight incline required to set up the tide

As for the space under the roof, here the difference from working with ordinary walls is that it is necessary to pre-cut blocks with different and complex shapes from the foam.

Installation of blocks under the roof

Installation of mounting umbrellas on foam plastic

For a more reliable connection of the insulation layer with the main wall, mounting "umbrellas", also known as dish-shaped dowels, are used.

Step 1. Determine the length of the dowel you need. It consists of the thickness of the insulation layer (in this case it is 200 mm), the adhesive layer (15 mm), the length of the expansion part of the dowel (60 mm) and another 20 mm of reserve. Also decide which of the schemes shown in the image below, you will mount the fasteners.

Dowel dowel

Dowel fastening schemes

Step 2 Unpack the plate dowels, check if the parameters of the product match those you need.

Unpacking the dowels

Step 3 Prepare a drill with a hole depth limiter, adjust the latter to the value you need.

Drill preparation

Step 4 Mark the points for the plate-shaped dowels and drill holes there.

Hole drilling

Step 5 Insert the leg of the dowel into the hole so that the head is flush with the surface of the foam. Then use a special nozzle on the drill and tighten the spacer part of the fastener, then close it with a protective cap.

The dowel leg is inserted into the hole

Twisting the spacer

In some dish-shaped dowels, the expansion element is not twisted, but clogged. You can see an example of how to work with them in the images below.

In some dish-shaped dowels, the expansion element is not twisted, but clogged

Clogging of the spacer

Some builders believe that dish-shaped dowels in foam insulation are "cold bridges." They deal with this problem in the following way: using a special cutter, they cut out a cylindrical recess in polystyrene foam, insert fasteners there and fix it. Then the dish-shaped dowel is closed with the foam cover cut earlier.

A cylindrical notch is cut

The dowel is closed with previously cut foam

Video - Insulation of the facade of the cottage with polystyrene foam

Insulation reinforcement

On the installation of expanded polystyrene blocks, the process of wall insulation from the outside is not completed - the material must be protected with a reinforcing mesh and plaster mixture.

Step 1. Prepare a plaster-adhesive mixture of dry powder and water. Choose the proportions based on the recipe printed on the package. Mix the mortar with a construction mixer.

Mixing process

Step 2 Start with windows and doors. On the inner surface of their openings, apply a thin layer of plaster-glue mixture and level it.

Application of a thin layer of the mixture

Layer Alignment

Step 3 The reinforcing mesh laid on the inner surface of the openings in one of the previous sections of the article is pressed against the adhesive mixture and drowned in it. Smooth everything on top with a rectangular trowel.

The mesh is embedded in the mixture

Step 4 In exactly the same way as in the previous operation, press the mesh belonging to the previously installed profile to the adhesive layer and drown it.

The grid of the previously set profile is pressed

Step 5 Repeat the previous three steps on all sides of the window opening.

The same, but with other sides of the opening

Step 6 At the corners near the openings, apply stripes of the adhesive mixture at an angle of 45°. Then lay a reinforcing mesh on them and smooth it with a trowel. Such areas near the openings are called "kerchiefs".

"Kerchief"

Smoothing out the reinforcing mesh

Step 7 Measure the corner profile to the required length. Apply a layer of adhesive mixture along the outer perimeter of the window, then lean a profile with a mesh against it and the inner surface of the opening and smooth it with a rectangular trowel.

Profile cropping

Application of the adhesive mixture

Profile Alignment

Grid Smoothing

Step 8 By the same principle, install corner profiles on other surfaces of the window opening.

The same, but on other surfaces of the window opening

Step 9 Attach a small rectangle or square of reinforcing mesh to the inner corners of the opening, straighten and smooth with a glue mixture.

Mesh is applied to the inner corner

Smoothing the mesh with a mixture

Almost done

Step 10 Repeat steps two through nine for each individual window and door opening.

Step 11 Apply an adhesive solution around the perimeter of the house to the bottom of the insulation. Then attach a drop profile there. Install it so that there are no air cavities between it and the insulation. Control the process using the building level.

Applying the solution around the perimeter of the house to the lower part of the insulation

A drop profile is applied

Step 12 Apply another coat of plaster over the mesh of the drip profile and smooth with a rectangular trowel.

Smoothing with a rectangular trowel

Step 13 According to the same principles as described above, install the corner profile - apply an adhesive layer, attach the product to it, drown it in the net and smooth everything from above.

The adhesive layer is applied to the corner

Attached profile

Mesh smoothed out

Step 14 Now proceed to reinforcing the entire surface of the walls. Make cuts from a roll with a mesh length corresponding to the height of the insulated walls of the house.

Reinforcing mesh cutting

Step 15 On top of the polystyrene foam, apply a layer of plaster-glue mixture and smooth with a notched trowel.

Applying a plaster-adhesive mixture over the foam

Step 16 Lay a sheet of reinforcing mesh on top of the adhesive layer, press it and cover it with another layer of mortar on top. Carefully smooth everything - irregularities and cavities with air are unacceptable.

Laying reinforcing mesh

The mesh is smoothed with mortar

Step 17 In the same way, lay the next piece of mesh side by side. There must be an overlap of at least 100 mm between it and the previous one.

The overlap must be at least 100 mm

Step 18 Let the glue mixture dry a little (but not completely!) and scrape off any bumps.

Irregularities are scraped off

Step 19 Using the rule, search for concavities on the adhesive layer applied over the insulation. Then align them by adding a little more mixture in the right places.

Finding concavities using a rule

Leveling unevenness

Step 20 On the finally hardened adhesive mixture, make another leveling of the surface - puttying.

Puttying

Styrofoam facade plaster

The easiest way to insulate a house is to sheathe it with foam. The material is inexpensive, installation is easy to do on your own, the energy-saving effect is obvious. And in order to protect such a skin from the harmful effects of the environment, you need to choose a suitable coating for it. Read more here.

After the putty has hardened, the insulation of the walls from the outside with foam plastic can be considered complete. Then you just have to apply the finishing decorative finish in accordance with your tastes and preferences.

How to insulate walls with foam from the outside

If the walls of the house are not able to retain heat, then no ultra-modern heating systems will be able to warm it up. At a low temperature in the room, the humidity rises sharply and fungus and mold quickly develop, affecting not only things and furniture, but also the building itself. Experts say that up to 30% of heat is lost through the walls, so you should take care of their insulation in a timely manner.

Features of working with foam

Styrofoam is one of the most popular and inexpensive materials. It is an excellent heat insulator, is not afraid of moisture, does not rot and is easily cut with simple tools. However, this material very quickly loses its properties under the influence of ultraviolet light, so walls lined with foam plastic are never left open.

Another significant disadvantage of foam is flammability. That is why it is used most often in the so-called wet facade systems when the foam layer is covered with a layer of plaster fixed on a reinforcing mesh. This technology has gained great popularity due to the ease of finishing and low cost.

Important! Any tree is capable of absorbing and evaporating moisture; "breathe". Styrofoam, on the other hand, has low vapor permeability, so it is not used for cladding a wooden house. In this case, it is better to use glass or basalt wool.

Finishing the house with foam plastic with further plastering (wet facade system)

Wet facade system with a decorative layer of plaster

Consumables

For wall cladding with foam you will need:

Primer: saving is inappropriate here, it will not only reduce glue consumption and prevent the development of fungus, but also strengthen the surface and improve adhesion;

Insulation: when laying the foam, part of the slab goes to trimming, so for 1 sq. m of the facade will need about 1.05 square meters. m foam; its thickness depends on the climatic zone;

Dowels 6 mm for fastening the profile;

Dowels-umbrellas ("fungi"): per 1 sq. m will need 5-8 pieces;

Socle (for the bottom of the wall) and corner profiles;

Reinforcing mesh: 1.35 sq. m per 1 sq. m of the facade; it is better to take a mesh with a density of 140-160;

Knife for cutting foam;

Building level;

Putty knife;

Plaster: its consumption is indicated on the package, however, it should be noted that another 10% will be spent on processing slopes;

Paint for facade works;

Scaffolding, ladder, building goats or scaffolds.

Wall preparation

Even perfectly laid thermal insulation material will not help to avoid heat loss in the presence of open air channels. Therefore, before starting work, all existing cracks should be carefully plastered or filled with mounting foam. In order for the solution to penetrate inside, they are pre-expanded to the desired size.

To detect exfoliated sections of the wall, you should tap. Loose plaster, layers of soot and mold are removed with a wire brush. You can also use a special nozzle on the grinder. In order for the foam to lay flat, too protruding parts of the wall are knocked off. Grease stains are treated with a solvent. On walls painted with oil paint, it is better to make small notches with an ax to improve adhesion.

Wall priming

Concrete and brick walls are best treated with outdoor epoxy compounds that can penetrate deep into the surface of the walls. For their priming, you can also use mineral acrylic mixtures for building facades, which provide good adhesion.

Wall primer

Adhesive selection

You can glue the foam to any walls: concrete, brick, plywood, etc. Before starting work, it is better

check the quality of the glue. To do this, smear a small sheet with it, press it against the wall for a few seconds and leave it to dry completely. If, after drying, the foam does not peel off the wall well and small pieces of it remain on it, then the glue is of high quality and is chosen correctly.

Important! You should carefully study the instructions for use: the glue must be frost and moisture resistant. For work with foam, you can take any facade adhesives, silicone sealants or liquid nails. For tile joints, mounting foam is used. The composition for fastening the foam must not contain organic solvents (acetone, gasoline, ethers, etc.).

The most suitable adhesive is special composition for gluing foam. There are several varieties of it:

1. Universal for foam, which is suitable for both bonding and reinforcement.

2. Adhesive for gluing. It has high plasticity and stickiness, when using it, foam sheets do not slip during the drying process.

3. Styrofoam Reinforcement Adhesive: High strength but less ductility.

Gluing foam

Wall marking

Alignment in the corners is not always possible, because. they may vary slightly. Markup is best done in the old fashioned way:

using plumb lines (beacons). A load is tied to a string suspended on a dowel at a distance of 5-7 mm from the wall. After it stops swinging, the twine is fixed.

If irregularities are found that do not allow the twine with the load to lie flat, they must be knocked down. On the "failures" of the wall, glue or building foam can be applied. Cross (horizontal) markings can be applied using a hydraulic level and twine.

Aligning the wall with beacons

Setting the start profile

To support the plates, a metal profile is attached to the bottom of the wall. In addition, it is able to protect the foam from mice that like to settle in the foam.

The size of the profile is selected according to the thickness of the insulation. Fastening is carried out with 6 mm dowels with washers with an interval of 30-40 cm. The corners of the profile are joined by the method of oblique cuts or using a corner connector.

Starter profile fixing

Glue application methods

You can paste the sheet in the following ways:

For uneven walls, it is better to apply a sufficiently large layer of glue around the perimeter of the sheet, as well as in several places along its center;

With a spatula with teeth, distribute the glue in a small layer evenly over the entire sheet, in this way the foam is glued on even walls;

Special glue for foam, sold in cylinders, is applied around the perimeter and center of the sheet.

Foam insulation

Before starting work

walls must be dry. If you glue the foam on damp walls that have not dried out after the winter, the adhesive joint will be fragile. When working in the summer heat, changes in day and night temperatures will also not have the best effect on the strength of the adhesive that has not yet dried out.

All work should be carried out in the spring, about a week after the heating is turned off in the houses. It is possible to glue foam plastic in the fall, when the ambient temperature drops to + 17-18 ° С. You should not start work in warm windy weather, as the glue will set too quickly.

It is not recommended to use too fragile foam in work: it is better to choose a material with a density of 20 kg / m3. The thermal insulation of denser sheets is less, so it is better not to use them for insulation of external walls.

Finishing procedure It is possible to start gluing the foam plastic one day after applying the primer. Plates are laid with the long side of the sheet down, starting from the bottom corner. The second row should go with an offset, as when laying bricks (see photo). To do this, the first sheets of odd rows adjacent to the corners are cut in half. The most convenient in the work of the plate with a size of 0.5 × 1 m and a thickness of 5 cm.

The gaps between the sheets are sealed with foam. Too large gaps can be sealed with foam scraps.

Styrofoam gluing scheme

Additional foam fixation

For this, "umbrellas" are used - special dowels for foam having a plastic head. Their length is selected taking into account the thickness of the plates. Metal fasteners that can damage fragile plastic are not used. In addition, the metal has a different coefficient of expansion.

Dowels for Styrofoam To install dowels in a wall pasted over with foam, holes of the appropriate depth are made into which dowels are inserted. They should enter the foam by 1.5-2 mm.

Holes for dowelsThe "umbrellas" are fastened with an envelope: at the corners of the sheet and in the center. Thus, to secure each sheet, you will need 5 dowels. The dowels should enter the concrete base to a depth of 50 mm, to a brick wall by 90 mm. For example, with a foam plastic width of 8 cm, "umbrellas" measuring 13-17 cm are used. After inserting them, they are additionally knocked out with a rubber hammer so that each of them is recessed into the foam plastic by a couple of millimeters.

Creating a decorative protective layer

A day after laying the foam, it is leveled with a grater. The corners of the house are additionally protected with a reinforced mesh with a corner. It is attached to the glue and pressed tightly against the jamb with an angled spatula.

Styrofoam grout Important! Do not leave foam-insulated walls unfinished for a long time. Even after 2 weeks, ultraviolet rays are already able to damage its top layer. If this nevertheless happened, the damaged surface is removed with a grater, and only then the wall is lined with a mesh.

Reinforced corner and corner spatula

Reinforcement of walls insulated with foam plastic is carried out using a mesh with cells of 3-5 mm. The mesh is cut into strips of the desired width. A special adhesive for reinforcement is applied to the wall so that the mesh sinks into it. Its edges are fixed last. After fixing the mesh on the wall with a spatula, it is leveled and excess glue is removed. Too much of it can lead to cracking.

Applying a reinforced mesh The second layer of adhesive is applied only after the first one has dried. After 3 days, the reinforced layer is primed, plastered, and then a layer of facade paint is applied to the wall.

Related video: We insulate the house with foam plastic from the outside with our own hands

Prepare a sleigh in the summer ... This proverb perfectly reflects the fact that it is never too late to think about warming a house, or rather, it is better in advance.

According to reviews, among the types of insulation, both private houses, summer cottages and cottages, and multi-storey (apartment) buildings, external insulation is the leader. And among the materials, the undisputed favorite is polystyrene.

We propose to understand what is the reason for the high efficiency of wall insulation with foam from the outside.

Benefits of outdoor insulation

• The first, and most important, is the displacement of the dew point outside the wall (see photo). Why is it good? The fact that the house will always have a dry outer wall. The problem with its freezing will disappear by itself. In addition, moisture, not accumulating in the wall, will not destroy it. This will allow the supporting structure to “age” an order of magnitude slower.

• Second, the wall will accumulate heat. Thus, after airing the apartment in winter, it will quickly restore normal temperature. After all, the walls will give part of the accumulated heat back to the room, and not to the street.

• Third, work can be done at any time. Their implementation is not fraught with long and expensive internal repairs, and the arrangement of additional ventilation.

The benefits of foam

• the lowest thermal conductivity among known modern heaters;
• low price of the material;
• low cost of labor involved professionals;
• the ability to warm up with your own hands;
• ease of installation of foam and much more.

The technology of wall insulation with foam plastic is quite simple. But to do the job efficiently, you can only know some of the nuances and features.

Let's consider step by step how to insulate a wall from the outside with foam, and what pitfalls can be encountered at each stage.

Instructions for wall insulation with foam plastic from the outside

Stage 1 - material selection

Insulation of the outer wall with foam plastic is a device of a multilayer structure. Such a cake gives the insulation additional properties, in the form of strength and aesthetics. And also, it allows you to protect the material from the damaging effects of the external environment.

For external insulation, it is better to choose polystyrene brand PSB-S-25.

Nuance: This choice is due to two factors - strength and thermal insulation properties. Of course, a material with a density of 15 will retain heat better. Because it has more air. But, the foam brand PSB-S-15 is more fragile.

Disadvantages of foam plastic PSB-S-15

(when used in external insulation)

• crumbles a lot during work;
• difficult to cut evenly;
• the sheet is almost impossible to rub with a grater;
• plaster does not fit well;
• the plastered surface of the wall is easy to push through.

The thickness of the foam sheet depends on:

1. desired effect;
2. region (the temperature in the cold month, the strength and direction of the wind are taken into account);
3. material from which the wall is made.

Nuance: the insulation of a brick wall from the outside with foam puts forward even more requirements for the accuracy of calculating the thickness of the sheet. Because a thin layer, will cause the dew point to not shift towards the foam, but remain in the wall. Then, the moisture that will collect in the brick will increase the rate of its destruction. And if the foam layer is too thin, then in winter the moisture will turn into ice. As a result, bubbles form on the wall, and the sheet will simply vomit.

Tip: if the required sheet thickness is 100 mm, it is better to buy two 50 mm each. and mount them overlap. This will eliminate cold bridges at the junction of sheets.

Material for external wall insulation with foam plastic

• sheets (plates) of foam;
• starting profile;
• building glue;
• dowels with a wide hat (fungi, umbrellas).

Tip: If you use foam plastic with a thickness of 50 mm, then for a concrete base, the length of the dowel should be at least 90 mm, for brick - at least 120 mm. The dowel must enter the wall by at least 50 mm.

• perforated corner with reinforcing mesh;
• polymeric reinforcing mesh;
• profile for slopes;
• plaster;
• facade paint.

Stage 2 - surface preparation

The wall is inspected for defects (cracks, delaminations, biological formations - moss, fungus). The protruding parts will later be sheathed with foam, and those that are poorly fixed get knocked off. If old plaster is peeling off the wall, it must also be removed.

Sometimes, there is moss on the walls - it needs to be scraped off. Paint is also removed, if any. And any other layer having zero vapor permeability.

If there are deep cracks in the wall, they need to be repaired. To do this, they need to expand. Prime the resulting V-channel. Then close up. Sand-cement mortar, foam glue or construction foam are suitable for embedding.

Cracks in the wallsTechnology for sealing cracks in the walls

The prepared wall surface is primed.

Priming walls For priming, use a universal deep penetrating primer. This will protect the wall from fungus and other biological activity, as well as increase surface adhesion.

Tip: Surface suitability can be checked as follows. A foam block measuring 10x10x10 mm is glued to the wall with an adhesive solution. Three days later it is torn off. If the block comes off completely, then the wall is not suitable and requires further stripping. If the block breaks, but holds, you can get to work.

Is it possible to insulate the walls of a wooden house with foam plastic?

It is better not to insulate wooden walls from the outside with foam plastic. This is due to the fact that wood has a natural moisture content. In order for it to be able to give moisture to the external environment, a heater with a porous structure is needed. Mineral wool would be ideal in this case.

From a practical point of view, it is possible to insulate wooden walls with foam plastic. Provided that there are no serious cracks in the tree. Otherwise, before starting work, you need to seal them with natural insulation - moss, felt or a special acrylic sealant that allows you to seal even the most minor defects and interventional seams. In addition, the installation of foam is carried out only using the frame method.

Insulation of wooden walls from the outside with foam - the pros and cons

Stage 3 - markup

In this case, marking does not mean that you need to draw a drawing on the entire wall. Such a grid will only be confusing, because. the foam sheet has a tolerance of 10 mm. by 1 r.m.

But, measuring horizontally and vertically is simply necessary. Because it is not always possible to equal the angle, because. the wall may have slight deviations.

Stage 4 - installation of foam on the wall and facade

Tip for beginners - start work on the wall that is least noticeable, this will be your training ground.

The foam device on the wall begins with the installation of the starting profile. Its width is equal to the thickness of the foam sheet. Sometimes the UW-50 or 100 profile is used for these purposes. These are the most popular sheet sizes for insulation.

Nuance: It is better to use a special starting (basement) profile, because. it has a perforation that allows fasteners to securely fix the profile, and at the same time allows its movement due to thermal expansion.

The starting profile is mounted according to the markings applied earlier. Its use allows you to lay the first row of sheets absolutely evenly. In addition, there is an opinion among the people that the metal starting profile will protect the sheet from rodents.

To level the thermal expansion of the metal, a gap of about 5 mm must be left between adjacent profiles.

Fastening the profile for foam insulation

The arrangement of the corner is shown in the photo

Corner device for foam insulation

Foam fixing methods

The foam mounting technology has several modifications. To fix the sheet on the wall, you can choose one of three options:

• apply glue to the edge of the sheet and make several molds over the sheet area. This method is suitable for uneven walls;

The method of fixing the foam on an uneven wall

• apply glue with a notched trowel all over the sheet. Option for a relatively flat wall;

The method of fixing the foam on a flat wall

• apply special glue from a balloon. Such glue is similar to building foam. At the same time, it is much easier to work with it than with an adhesive solution. Plus, it does not need to be kneaded, it firmly attaches the sheet to the wall.

Styrofoam fasteners on glue from a balloon

The second row of sheets is stacked offset as shown below. This scheme makes the installation more reliable and reduces the likelihood of cracks.

Styrofoam fastening scheme with offset

So, in order, all rows are stacked up to the last.

Tip: In order for the glue to fully set, the wall pasted over with foam must stand for 3-4 days. If you do the insulation with foam plastic with your own hands, then by the end of the work the first section usually manages to withstand the right time.

Particular attention should be paid to the finishing of slopes, because it is also a source of heat loss. Photo finishing process.

Slope device for foam insulation

The window tide after installing the foam will have to be replaced.

In order for there to be no heat loss at the junction of the insulation to the frame of the metal-plastic window or door, a special window profile must be installed. Due to the fact that the profile has a self-adhesive strip, it can be easily installed on the window frame. Photo installation process.

Installing a window profile for foam insulation

Installing the profile guarantees no deformations and a finished appearance.

Stage 5 - additional fastening of the foam to the wall

Dowels umbrellas (fungi) for fixing polystyreneSpecial plastic dowels umbrellas (fungus) for fixing polystyrene, which do not “fall through” into the sheet, but securely fix it, can provide reliable fixation.

You can mount the "umbrellas" in two ways, as shown in the figure.

The first option is suitable for smooth joints. If there are significant gaps between the sheets, then the second option should be used.

Nuance: The first option will save the dowel, but it takes time to fit the sheets to size.

Fixed dowel umbrella When installing the dowel, make sure that it is slightly recessed into the sheet.

It is worth noting that in the classic version, the umbrella is mounted as shown in the photo. However, since such installation takes a lot of time, and the plastic of the dowel does not create cold bridges, even experienced builders neglect this rule.

The method of fixing the foam plastic with the "drowning" of the cap of the dowel-umbrella

The gaps formed at the junction of two sheets are sealed with foam. With a gap of more than 20 mm, the gap is sealed with a piece of foam. For greater reliability, the back side of the trim is smeared with glue or foam.

Sealing of necks at the joints of foam plastic

After sealing all the cracks, they start trimming the protruding parts of the sheet that meet at the corners.

Grater for grinding foam

Tip: If a wall finished with foam has stood for more than 2 weeks without finishing, it will have to be sanded completely, because. ultraviolet has already damaged the surface layer of the insulation.

Stage 6 - finishing corners and slopes with foam

Perforated corner with reinforcing mesh The corners of the house or slopes need additional protection from impacts. In addition, it is difficult to provide the required mesh overlap here. Yes, and cutting perfectly foam can be difficult. Therefore, a special perforated corner with a reinforcing mesh is provided for them.

It is attached with glue and pressed tightly with a special corner spatula to the outer or inner corner of the house, or slope.

The process of installing foam at the corners is shown in the photo. Inside the slope, as already mentioned, a special corner is used.

The process of installing foam at corners and slopes

At this stage, the house is ready for further finishing.

Stage 7 - facade plaster on foam plastic

External wall insulation with foam helps protect the house from heat loss. And what will take care of the protection of the insulation itself? Finishing (facade, decorative) plaster, siding, lining or any other finishing material. In our example, this is plaster.

It is based on a polymer reinforced mesh for foam plastic with a cell of 3x3, 4x4, 5x5. The density of the mesh is in the range of 140-160 g / sq.m. The purpose of the reinforcing mesh is to ensure the integrity of the wall surface and prevent cracks.

Tip: do not be tempted by the low cost of the grid - in this case, savings are inappropriate. A high-quality mesh is coated with a special solution that protects it from the influence of alkalis and acids, which are contained in adhesive solutions. Poor quality mesh "dissolve" in the glue.

How to attach the mesh to the foam?

Attaching the mesh to polystyrene foam-1The mesh is fixed to the glue. The one on which the foam was attached. The grid has a special marking. The red bar shows how much of the canvas should be overlapped. This is approximately 100 mm.

If there is no marking, try to maintain an even overlap along the entire length of the strip.

Mesh fastening on polyfoam-2

Mesh fastening procedure: a mesh strip of the required length is cut off, plus 250-200 mm. Glue is applied to the top of the wall. The area of ​​the adhesive strip is approximately 100x10 mm. A mesh is laid on it and pressed. Roughly speaking, the mesh should sink in the glue.

Trimming the extra mesh

Tip: make sure that the grid does not gather into an accordion. Smooth it out with a spatula. But, do not overdo it, otherwise you will pull the entire strip down. At the bottom, the excess mesh is cut off.

In order for the putty to cover the mesh over the entire surface of the wall, it must be applied in two layers. One thick layer will be covered with microcracks. This will not bring harm, but visually the defect will be noticeable. Please note that the previous layer must dry completely.

Tip: do not work with putty in windy weather. Otherwise, the layer will dry out quickly, which will also lead to the appearance of microcracks.

Stage 8 - priming and finishing

As the name of the stage implies, the main work here is related to the priming of the wall surface. And then proceed to the application of finishing putty and / or staining.

More visual information on how to insulate the outer wall with foam contains a video instruction

Ignoring the rules for installing foam when performing external wall insulation can lead to unpleasant consequences.

The consequences of poor-quality foam installation

Conclusion

We hope that this instruction will allow you to insulate the outer wall with foam plastic efficiently and without problems.

Tags: Wall insulation Styrofoam

Good exterior insulation significantly reduces heating costs as well as home maintenance costs. However, warming a house in this way will only be effective if it is well done. Before proceeding with the repair work, you should study well the question of how to isolate the walls from the outside. Then the funds invested in labor and materials will be effectively used and quickly returned in the form of savings on heating.

How to properly insulate the house with foam plastic from the outside, how to avoid mistakes?

Insulating walls with Styrofoam (a type of Styrofoam) is not a very difficult task, but you must follow certain rules. Mistakes made when performing insulation can result in it being less effective, and in some cases can lead to serious damage to the facade. To properly insulate walls, it is important to follow certain rules and avoid common mistakes. Below are the 11 most common rules and mistakes when insulating a building with Styrofoam.

1. Proper wall surface preparation

The surface on which the polystyrene boards will be placed must be properly reinforced, stable, level and dry. It must be free of contaminants that reduce adhesion, such as:

• dirt;
• adhesive coatings;
• formwork oil;
• any kind of pollution caused by chemical or biological agents.

The base must be even - small inequalities (up to 2 cm) are leveled with a leveling mortar. In case of large irregularities (greater than 2 cm), you must use different thicknesses of the Styrofoam boards so that they form one plane.

Underlay related errors include:

• incorrect assessment of the state of the substrate;
• lack of primer;
• poor assessment of the geometry of the walls (evenness, deviation from the vertical).

1. Styrofoam bonding, insufficient adhesive

The adhesive must be applied both along the edge of the slab and on its surface. If you apply glue only along the edge, or only at one point, the plate will bend, and the edges of the plates will be visible on the finished facade.

Proper application of styrofoam adhesive:

a) along the periphery and points - in this case, the glue should be applied in the form of strips along the edge of the boards with a width of 4-6 cm. On the rest of the surface, the glue is applied pointwise, there will be from 3 to 8 points. The total area of ​​\u200b\u200bglue should cover 40% of white panels and 60% graphite plates.

b) the comb method, which is used only in the case of even, plastered surfaces. The adhesive is applied with a notched trowel over the entire surface of the board.

Note: The adhesive solution is applied to the surface of the polystyrene plate, and never applied to the substrate.

The adhesive on each sheet must be placed around the edge and on the surface.

1. Adhesive selection

Poor choice of adhesive or poor quality mortar can cause the foam plates to come off, along with other layers of the façade. As a rule, it is recommended to use a complete insulation system from the manufacturer - such a system contains all the necessary elements, guaranteed quality, and good matching of elements with each other.

1. Distribution of panels on the wall

It is important that the foam plates are offset by half their length from bottom to top, starting at the corner of the wall.

It is also important to correctly position the plates in the corners. If this is done incorrectly, then thermal bridges appear on the connection of the plates, through which heat losses occur.

In addition, polystyrene panels must also be laid neatly and tightly side by side. Connections must not form straight lines.

1. Filling gaps between tiles

The gaps between the styrofoam boards must not be filled with adhesive solution (thermal bridges will occur). To fill gaps up to 4 mm wide, use polyurethane foam.

1. Reinforcing with dowels

Dowels of insufficient depth will cause problems. If they are installed too deep, they will destroy the structure of the thermal insulation board. If they are installed too shallow, they can create a bulge that will be visible on the wall surface.

1. Starter plinth and mesh

If a starter skirting and mesh is not used, the insulation will be exposed to the weather and rodents such as mice, which often burrow into the bottom layer of insulation while looking for winter shelter and cause damage.

1. Uneven foam board surfaces

The surface of the plates after their placement must be even. If there are irregularities, the surface must be sanded to eliminate the irregularities. Otherwise, they will also appear on the facade. Unfortunately, sanding polystyrene is a laborious and time consuming process, so it is often forgotten.

1. The location of the plates around the door and window openings

In the corners of window and door openings there should be no seams of board joints. In addition, in these places you should use additional diagonal grid strips.

Laying scheme in the corners of window and door openings

The corners of window and door openings must fall into the central part of the polystyrene plate.

1. Weather conditions and performance of work in inappropriate weather

Often installers do not take weather conditions into account during repairs. It is important that the insulation work is carried out in the appropriate weather - the temperature is not lower than 5 °C and not higher than 25 °C. Of course, at the time of warming there should be no precipitation. This is important, not for comfortable work, but for the properties of materials that retain their qualities only under certain conditions. For example, at a higher temperature, the adhesive will dry quickly before it can properly bond the foam to the substrate.

1. Lack of sun protection materials

The use of solar shading is especially important when laying gray foam. Under the influence of the sun, it heats up quickly, and the result can be the formation of gaps between the plates and their peeling from the substrate.

How to properly insulate a house - video

With the onset of winter, many owners think about the thermal protection of the house. In winter, utility bills grow and it is unreasonable to give money for heating the street.

Thermal insulation of the house with foam plastic helps to solve the problem of heat loss. To carry out the work, you can hire a team of specialists, but their services are expensive. Therefore, if you have elementary building skills, then it is better to do everything yourself.

Which thermal protection method to choose?

Thermal insulation can be internal or external. With self-insulation, it would be more correct to dwell on the external method, since when insulating from the inside, the slightest mistakes in technology will inevitably lead to critically high humidity in the house. Due to the high vapor permeability of the insulation, moisture actively condenses in it.

Internal thermal insulation is possible provided that active ventilation is installed between the outer wall and the insulation. It's expensive and troublesome.

In this case, evaporation to the outside is impossible, since the temperature outer wall V cold period year can go down to minus 20 °C. This is fraught with constantly misted windows and mold on the walls.

It is important to choose the right material. The most popular heat insulators are expanded polystyrene (styrofoam). It is very technological and has a lot of advantages. Expanded polystyrene is a budget material, lightweight and with a minimum density can withstand a significant mechanical load. In addition, it does not absorb moisture, does not rot, is durable, has a high coefficient of heat resistance, and is suitable for any type of building.

How to properly insulate?

The process of insulating a house with polystyrene foam is divided into several stages. Let's consider each of them in more detail.

Preparing walls for laying foam

If the facade has been painted, it is better to knock off the paint. We level the wall as much as possible, any surface irregularities will complicate the laying of the foam and may lead to a violation of its integrity. After that, we apply a primer to the facade - a special solution that reduces the porosity of the wall and protects it from moisture penetration.

You can prime with both a roller and a brush. A brush is preferable, because this additional cleaning of the surface is performed.

We paste the insulation

Glue correctly start from the bottom. We must fix the first row with the help of the starting bar, which will give the bottom row a strong support and prevent it from slipping during the drying of the special (adhesive) mixture. A high-quality adhesive mixture should have high plasticity, a fast hardening rate and a high degree of adhesion (ability to adhere to the work surface). It must be prepared before use.

Prepare and apply composition

The adhesive mixture is applied directly to the wall with a tile-type spatula. At the same time, we can further level the surface of the wall by adjusting the thickness of the layer. If the wall is perfectly flat, then you can apply the adhesive mixture with a special notched trowel. But flat wall- a rarity, therefore, usually insulation with polystyrene foam occurs as follows:

• several (usually 8-9 per sheet) portions of the adhesive composition are applied to the wall, while their volume is adjusted to maximize the leveling of the relief by filling all the depressions;
• a sheet of foam is attached to the islets of glue, carefully pressed and carefully (so as not to form dents) slams with the palm of your hand;
• sheets should be adjacent to each other so that there are no gaps between them through which heat loss will occur;
• the foam is glued in rows from the bottom up, and each next row must be shifted so that T-shaped joints form.

We fix the plates with dowels

For fixing, umbrella dowels are used for thermal insulation (they are also called "dish mushrooms"), consisting of a wide plastic cap and a core into which a fixing nail made of plastic or galvanized metal is hammered. Plastic nails are better suited, because they have low thermal conductivity and do not form "cold bridges" that condense moisture on themselves.

At least 5-6 dowels should be used on one sheet of insulation, one in the center of the sheet, and the rest at the joints. The number of fasteners can be increased, it all depends on how smooth the wall is.

We process the joints between the plates and level the surface of the insulating layer.

Small gaps between the sheets (about 5 mm) are filled with mounting foam. We put thin strips of polystyrene into large ones and also foam. We start trimming the excess foam after 5 hours, after its final solidification. We cut off the protruding parts of the foam with a hacksaw, and putty the caps of all the "umbrellas" with an adhesive mixture.

The time gap between gluing the foam boards and fixing them with dowels should be at least 3 days. Otherwise, if the adhesive composition does not completely harden, after nailing, bending of the polystyrene foam plates and their lagging behind the wall in the future are possible.

Attaching fiberglass mesh

The plaster mesh should be chosen the one that is intended exclusively for outdoor work. Indoor netting is only suitable for use gypsum plaster, from the mixture with cement, it will spread. We start pasting from the corners of the building, then proceed to pasting the planes.

You need to glue the mesh in small pieces, with an area of ​​\u200b\u200babout one square meter because the adhesive mixture dries quickly. The edges are overlapped and carefully glued. An ideally installed mesh should be completely embedded in the adhesive mixture and slightly visible on its surface.

At the corners of window openings, we glue the mesh in small pieces (30 × 70 mm) with an angle of placement of 45 °. These are "kerchiefs". Their task is to protect the thermal coat from the formation of cracks in the corners of windows and doorways.

After drying, the wall must be rubbed with emery to obtain the most even surface.

We apply decorative plaster

We complete the insulation of the house by applying decorative plaster. It will give the entire insulation system a luxurious appearance. To do this, 48 ​​hours after gluing the mesh, we apply a leveling layer of a mixture intended for foam boards.

When the layer dries, we overwrite it, then proceed directly to the application of decorative plaster. colored plaster may not be painted. If you use ordinary gray, then you need to paint in two layers of facade paint. This will protect the thermal coat.

Properly insulating a house with polystyrene foam is a completely feasible task, and therefore do not be afraid to do it yourself.