Wall insulation foam with your hands

foam, or more correctly - polystyrene foam, it belongs to the category of one of the most popular building materials.In addition to other applications, it is widely used for thermal insulation of walls of the houses inside and outside.Due to their structure and characteristics, the material is capable of good insulate and protect from external noise premises of houses and apartments.

became popular for foam still and the fact that it is easy by weight and very easy to install. 100% way to insulating walls inside the foam that will provide peace and will protect premises from cold, will be presented below, but before purchasing this material, just need to have information about its types and core operating performance.

Varieties of polystyrene used for insulation

All kinds of foam are made easy for installation, in the form of plates of various sizes and thickness, which varies from 10 to 100 and moremm.All polystyrene can be divided into two main classes - is normal bespressovanny foam and extruded.They vary greatly in their characteristics due to structural framework, so you should consider each of them separately.

This table presents the comparative characteristics of the two classes of insulation.Particular attention in this case should be paid to the thermal conductivity - the smaller it is, the better:

Comparative characteristics of conventional foam and extruded styrofoam:

Performance material	Extruded polystyrene	usual foam
Water absorption in% by volume to 30 days, no more than	0.4	4
Water absorption in% by volume for 24 hours, no more than	0.2	2
Water vapor permeability mg / m × h × Pa	0,018	-
Thermal conductivity in dry state at a temperature of 25 ± 5 ° C, W / (m × C) no more than	0,028	0,036 ÷ 0,050
compressive strength in static bending (kg / m²) MPa	0,4-1,0	0,07 ÷ 0,20
compressive strength at 10% deformation, MPa,N / mm², at least	0,25-0,50	0,05 ÷ 0,20
density kg / m³, within	28 ÷ 45	15 ÷ 35
operating temperature range, ° C	-50 to +75	-50 to +70

normal ( bespressovanny ) foam

This kindinsulation is marked PSB-S (self-extinguishing expanded polystyrene bespressovanny ).It is made by sintering individual granules by means of heat.On on Dhlomo can see the grain structure of the structure of the foam - granules may be slightly larger or smaller, so that the density of the material may be different in certain range.The size fraction of granules and foam density depends, which is denoted by a two-digit number following the letters marking.

Key Features conventional foam of different density:

Brand foam PSB - With	15	25	35	50
Density, kg / m³	15	15-25	25-35	35-50
compressive strength at 10% deformation, MPa at least	0.05	0.1	0.16	0.2
bending strength, MPa, not less	0,07	0.18	0.25	0.35
Examples Thermal conductivity 25 ° C, W / (m × ° C) no more than	0,042	0,035	0,033	0.04

This also can be attributed to a variety of foam, which is used in bulk, that is, the individual granules are fallen asleep, for example, a concrete solution as the insulation screed material.Apply this type of insulation and filling in between the piers or beams of garret overlapping.

Extruded polystyrene

Extruded polystyrene foam differs from the usual higher strength and structural density, as is done with the help of pressing and punching in the molten state through a nozzle forming extrusion technology - continuous hot forming.

Make it in the form of plates, which often have a low profile connection - «tongue and groove", which facilitates the installation of insulation on the surface of the walls andlaying the floor.This kind of expanded polystyrene has a slightly higher thermal conductivity, since it has a dense, less « zavozdushennoy » structure but, nevertheless , also very well suited to insulate the walls from the inside.

Pros and cons of plastic foam insulation for domestic

Any type of polystyrene is general expressed to a greater or lesser extent, the positive and negative qualities in the application for the insulation of walls inside a house or apartment.

The advantages of this include the following insulation of its quality:

• Light weight that allows you to lift the heater to any floor high-rise building without difficulty.
• Resistance to all types of microflora - mold or mildew, when it is properly installed.
• almost waterproof material - high humidity it is able to absorb no more than 0.4% of its volume 10 ÷ 12 days .
• for polystyrene is characterized by very low thermal conductivity performance.Prevalence nt on Wed ednem of 0,030 - 0,035 W / (m × ° With ) - is 30 ÷ 45% lower than most other insulating materials.
• extruded polystyrene has a high impact resistance and compressive strength.Normal foam, however, "boast" that can not be.
• Simplicity and ease installation, especially those panels which have a connection "tongue and groove".
• foam, along with insulation, promotes alignment of walls.
• affordable price compared to other heaters.

The negative qualities of the foam may include the following features:

• Improper installation of the outer wall, under the foam may appear mold, which is able to penetrate into the structure of the material and spread it further.
• ignition temperature - 490 ÷ 500 degrees, which means it can be ignited by from indoor fire.Therefore, the foam can not be attributed to the fireproof materials, although it has the property of self-extinguishing.When exposed to an open flame outside Foam Art Space avitsya and flows, continuing to burn himself and becoming a possible source of spread of fire.

• Thermal decomposition polystyrene releases acrid smoke containing toxic substances harmful to human respiratory - is phosgene, hydrogen cyanide and others.They cause burns to the respiratory tract and the strongest poisoning, often leading to death.
• during prolonged use normal foam gradually decompose into components, also releasing into the air a substance hazardous to health, such as hydrogen cyanide, nitrogen oxides, halogenated and others.Therefore Foam item Sun e better use of external insulation and internal pick for more eco-friendly heat insulation material, such as rock wool in the mats, ecowool and etc .From the viewpoint of chemical resistance extruded polystyrene is still far ahead of his "brother".

However, if in spite of that it was decided to stop the choice on the foam, it should at least prepare correctly and competently carry out the necessary operations on the insulating walls.

process of insulating walls foam

Tools and materials necessary for

To work needed to prepare the following simple tools :

• broad brush and roller application of antiseptic agents and primers.
• Roulette and building level - for marking and controlling the verticality of the installation polystyrene plates.
• hammer for driving fastening elements.
• Electric Drills shock function or a hammer, drill on concrete - if the work will be carried out in a brick or panel house.
• nozzle electric mixer at kneading putty and plaster mixtures.
• Building a knife to cut the reinforcing mesh.
• spatulas of various widths for application and leveling putty and plaster mixtures.need for gluing the foam blocks, including and notched trowel.
• Grater and sandpaper or abrasive mesh of varying degrees of granularity.
• Tanks mixing mixes and bath primer.

From materials required:

• foam itself, calculated on the wall surface.
• fiberglass reinforcing mesh - its total area should also close all fully thermally insulated walls.

• Putty and mortar based on cement.
• antiseptic composition.

• Priming mixture of deep penetration.Sometimes primer combines function and an antiseptic.
• Fixing elements - plastic dowels - "fungi".

• Special metal or plastic corners for reinforcement and finishing room corners.

• Dry mortar - mounting adhesive foam.

prepare in in se necessary, you can move on to the advanced stage of insulating work.

Preparations

no need to refer disparagingly to the preparatory activities, as on how well they will be carried out, the life of the insulating material depends on its functionality.

The preparatory work includes the following process steps:

• Mandatory cleaning the walls of the old paint or wallpaper, or not sufficient adhesion for traction foam adhesive and the wall surface.In addition, as the removal of the old building is on the surface may show cracks and chips, which must be sealed, or fungal colonies, that need to be neutralized.
• Eliminating gaps and cracks consists of several stages - it is their extension, removal of dust, primer treatment and sealing putty mixture.If you find too large gap, for example, in the corners, they can be repaired with foam or sealant.After hardening or drying materials termination, their protruding pieces must always be cut or to clean off level wall.

• If you show up at the corners of the mold stains or obvious dampness, they need to be brushed off, and all damaged area to process at least twice antifungal composition.

• If the floor Fitted with linoleum or other decorative material, it is necessary to make an incision and remove from the wall on the foam thickness as is recommended to install a heater on the floor base, and not on the top surface finish.
• Next, is checked on the evenness of the walls.If there are small flaws, they close the foam slabs, but will need to be imposed on some of them a little more adhesive mass.Therefore, finding small holes, their mark with chalk to know on what plates should be put to a superfluous lei.
• For large distortions surface of have align, or between the surfaces of walls and slabs of expanded polystyrene can remain air, which will help offset "dew point", wetting the walls of condensate and how consequently, lower total Insulated premises.

• final stage in the preparatory work will be processing all the walls with antiseptic ground, which will prevent the appearance of mold between the inner surfaces of the walls and expanded polystyrene panels.
• After completion of the preparatory work should be well dry wall - for this, you can open all the windows and doors provide good airflow.

If the floor is uneven in the room, then to the first row plates stood perfectly horizontally, it is possible to fight off the wall with a colored cord flat top line first row, under which will be tailored panel.If necessary, some of them are cut from the bottom.

Another option align the first row can be consolidated in the lower part of the wall of the profiled corner, which exhibit strictly on the horizontal level.If the first row of masonry foam will be installed on fixed exactly Area, and the rest of the masonry will also retain evenness.Area must have a width equal to the thickness used polystyrene plates.

Mounting foam on the walls

First of all, is mixed adhesive mass, whichand foam blocks will stick to the wall.

• In container filled with the required amount of water, depending on the kneading glue from calculation 25 kg of dry composition about , 9 ÷ 10 liters (user is required to be printed on the packaging of dry mortar).Then the water slowly, in portions added to dry the composition and mixed using a drill with paddle-mixer.

Clay is ready when it reaches the consistency of a paste uniform.