The use of foam for insulation

Today, on the construction market, you can find a large selection of thermal insulation materials that differ in characteristics. If you need to insulate the roof or the enclosing structures of buildings, you should pay attention to such material characteristics as low thermal conductivity, hygroscopicity, long service life, ease of installation and use. Is a unique heat-insulating material that fully meets all these requirements. Learn about the features and benefits of this insulation material and use it during construction.

Penoplex material characteristics

Penoplex boards are extruded polystyrene foam with a homogeneous structure. The basis of expanded polystyrene is made up of numerous small closed cells, the size of which is no more than 0.2 mm.

Insulation of facades with penoplex

Thanks to this structure, Penoplex differs from other modern insulation materials by its almost zero degree of water absorption and vapor permeability.

Advantages of Penoplex insulation boards

The method of production of polystyrene foam boards, a homogeneous composition, a closed cellular structure give Penoplex favorable characteristics:
- high compressive strength;
- frost resistance, non-susceptibility to decay;
- durability, wear resistance;
- the ability to maintain all properties in high humidity conditions;
- low level of flammability.

Benefits of Penoplex

Application area
Penoplex is used for thermal insulation:
- walls from the inside - creation of multilayer partitions;
- walls inside the premises;
- walls from the street;
- various roof modifications.

Penoplex for roof insulation

Methods for carrying out thermal insulation works on the roof

Penoplex on the roof is fixed in several ways:
1. Penoplex is pierced with nails on the rafters.
2. When used as additional insulation, polystyrene is fixed to the rafters, while mineral wool is fixed between the rafters.
3. Insulation of the roof by placing Penoplex under the inner sheathing of the roof.
When expanded polystyrene is used to insulate a metal roof, then a special layer is laid that conducts steam. This material protects the metal coating from moisture, draining condensation.

Penoplex for wall insulation

Penoplex is called a masterpiece in the field of building materials, thanks to its unique characteristics. Now you can independently decide which material to choose for the insulation of the house or the inner wall. The use of foam will allow to achieve not only high thermal insulation properties, but also good sound insulation.

The choice of insulation is not an easy task. Some of them are afraid of getting wet (stone wool), others are difficult to work with (glass wool), and still others have not yet found widespread use (foamed glass). Styrofoam remains. He is scolded for unnaturalness and flammability, but according to technical characteristics, he is among the leaders. Moreover, extruded polystyrene foam (EPS), although it is more expensive, tolerates mechanical loads better than ordinary foam. One of the manufacturers, Penoplex, produces EPS of various densities and purposes. Its products are quite popular - it is one of the most famous brands in the country.

What is Penoplex and its scope

Penoplex (sometimes written "Penoplex") is a heat-insulating material produced by the company of the same name.

The PENOPLEX company is a large Russian manufacturer of building and decorative finishing materials based on polymers. The company began its activity in 1998 with the launch of the first production line in Russia for the production of heat-insulating materials from extruded polystyrene foam under the PENOPLEX® trademark.

The PENOPLEX company produces extruded polystyrene foam (EPS or XPS). This material is used as insulation. It differs from the cheaper analogue - expanded polystyrene (polystyrene, PPS or PPS) - with a higher density, due to which it better tolerates mechanical loads. Another distinctive feature is lower vapor permeability. Rather, it hardly conducts steam. And the main trump card is the best thermal performance. Penoplex 20 mm thick in terms of heat retention is equivalent to almost double the thickness of mineral wool and 37 cm brickwork.

Penoplex is one of the most effective thermal insulation materials

These characteristics determine the area of ​​use of Penoplex. It is recommended for insulating those areas where resistance to stress is important, and low vapor permeability is one of the requirements. More specifically, it is recommended to use Penoplex:

• For floor insulation:
  • under the screed, on it, as an intermediate layer;
  • when installing the floor on logs (with some reservations);
  • heat-insulating layer for underfloor heating (water or electric).
• At .
• Insulation of the basement of the house (if it is uninhabited).
• On roofs (ideal for flat roofs, green roofs, you need to be careful with the rest because it almost does not remove steam).
• Paths, platforms for gazebos.
• Insulation of septic tanks, wells, etc.

Another area of ​​use is thermal insulation of facades or interior walls. But here you need to understand that due to the fact that Penoplex practically does not conduct moisture, additional measures will be needed to prevent vapors from getting inside the wall. Plus, you need a well-thought-out ventilation system - to normalize the humidity in the house. And, in addition, you need to choose the thickness of the insulation so that the dew point is inside the insulation, but not in the wall.

Optimal - warming of the buried basement

If you prefer "breathing" walls, natural regulation of humidity - for this case Penoplex is not suitable for wall insulation. Nor does it go under ventilated facades. There, just the task is to remove moisture from the insulation due to the movement of air in the ventilation gap. This material is not able to provide, since moisture, simply, does not get inside Penoplex.

Types, characteristics, properties

• Comfort. For insulation of walls, balconies, loggias.
• Foundation.
• Pitched roof.
• Wall.

As you can see, the manufacturer clearly delineates the areas of application of the material. With the general technology, they differ in density. The most dense ones are for the foundation and floor, since they must withstand considerable loads for a long time. The manufacturer claims that the service life of Penoplex Foundation is up to 50 years.

Design differences

Some of the Penoplex types have structural differences:

• Penoplex Wall slabs have a rough surface, stripes are applied to the surface of the slab by a mill. All this improves adhesion to the wall and / or finishing materials.
• Penoplex Comfort is distinguished by an L-shaped edge, which guarantees the absence of through seams during installation.
• Penoplex The roof has a U-shaped edge, which increases the reliability of the connection.

General characteristics

Since the production technology of all types of Penoplex is similar, they have many of the same characteristics:

As you can see, in terms of temperature indicators, any type of Penoplex can be used in any part of the country - from the south to the north. Moreover, if it is left to "winter" in an unprotected form, nothing will happen to the material. This is not the merit of Penoplex, but the general property of extruded polystyrene foam.

What distinguishes the different types

The manufacturer divided the types of Penoplex into areas of use. Their properties are optimal for a specific application. For example, the increased density of EPS, required under the screed, will not be needed when it is installed on the base. Taking into account that the price differs significantly, it makes no sense to use the “Foundation” brand for other purposes. But the difference in locks, all other things being equal, can be neglected. Here we are talking about ease of installation. Although, this is also important.

As can be seen from the table, Penoplex for the foundation and roof is denser, more durable, and better withstands bending loads. Designed for walls and the "Comfort" brand are less durable, since their area of ​​application does not require resistance to mechanical stress.

Low vapor permeability - good or evil?

As you know, the same property of a material in one situation can be considered a plus, in another - as a minus. This is exactly the case with the low conductivity of steam, which is distinguished by extruded polystyrene foam. Moreover, he does not conduct steam in either direction. Moisture does not penetrate from one side or the other. This is what distinguishes it from vapor barrier membranes, which may have one-sided conductivity.

Where vapor non-conduction is needed

With proper installation (without gaps and slots) with gluing joints, EPPS does not require the use of vapor barrier membranes. He hardly misses steam. Neither liquid nor gaseous. So the use of membranes and waterproofing is unnecessary. When used in a floor cake, this is great, because the moisture usually comes from the ground. When using expanded polystyrene, it does not penetrate either by capillary method or in the form of steam. In this case, this is definitely a plus.

These properties also play "plus" when using extruded polystyrene foam in the blind area, under the tracks, etc. Besides the fact that it protects against freezing, it does not get wet. This allows, with a competent approach, to get rid of frost heaving and make, for example, not a deep strip foundation, but a shallow tape or a Swedish slab.

The use of EPS in a flat roofing cake is also optimal - leaks are minimized, heat also hardly escapes. When used on pitched roofs, it's worth thinking about. The fact that Penoplex Roof does not allow moisture to enter the attic is good. But it will be possible to remove excess moisture from the attic only with the help of very good ventilation, which includes not only dormer windows. Additional elements will be needed on the ridge, in the plane of the roof. In general, given the cost of Penoplex, this is not always reasonable.

On the walls: yes or no?

Wall insulation with Penoplex is permissible only if you agree to make an effective ventilation system that will regulate the humidity in the house. In this case, there are two options:

As you can see, there are options for using extruded polystyrene foam for wall insulation, but they are far from the best. Despite the fact that the material itself is good, it is not suitable for this purpose.

And we must also take into account that the second option is only for non-hygroscopic materials. Such a scheme is very undesirable for wooden, frame buildings, it is poorly suited for a foam block. The fact is that no matter how good the vapor barrier is, some part of the moisture will still get into the walls. If the material is not hygroscopic, moisture will gradually be removed from the wall during the dry season. With hygroscopic materials, this process is more complicated. As a result, the tree rots, the foam block walls "bloom".

Dimensions and weight, quantity calculation

Penoflex thermal insulation boards can be of different thicknesses, so the package can have different sizes, it can have a different number of sheets. It should also be noted that the dimensions of the slabs are indicated without taking into account the spikes / locks.

There are two methods for calculating the number of packages, using the volume or area of ​​the package:

• You know the area to be insulated, find the area of ​​the insulation of the required thickness in the package and divide the area to be insulated by this value. For example, you need to insulate 15 squares; plates with a thickness of 40 mm will be used. Insulation area in the package - 6.24 m². Consider: 15 / 6.24 = 2.4 packages.
• To calculate by volume, we multiply the area to be insulated by the thickness, we get the required volume. Further, by analogy with the example above, we divide the found figure by the volume of one package. We get the number of packages of insulation. Let's calculate for the same case: 15 m² * 0.04 m = 0.6 m³. According to the table, one package of this material has a volume of 0.2493 m³. we find the number of packages: 0.6 / 0.2493 = 2.4 packages.

Penoplex for blind area around the house and basement insulation is an excellent choice

If the number of packages is not whole (most likely it will be), some surplus is formed. If the surplus turns out to be large (as in the example - more than half of the plates is unnecessary) and you will have nowhere to use it, check if the seller is selling incomplete packages. In this case, the calculation will be a little more complicated. You should estimate how many plates you need in addition to the whole packages. For this:

• Find the area covered by whole packages. For example, this is: 2 pack * 6.24 m² = 12.48 m².
• Since we need to insulate 15 squares, we subtract the found from this figure: 15 m² - 12.48 m² = 2.52 m². This is the area for which additional slabs should be purchased.
• The area of ​​one Penoflex insulation board is 0.6932 m². If the remainder is divided by this figure, we get the required number of additional sheets of insulation: 2.52 m² / 0.6932 m² = 3.63 pcs. It turns out that we will need 4 plates in addition to two packs.

With such an accurate calculation, it is better to take a small margin - one or two plates. In case if somewhere there was a mistake in measurements or calculations, somewhere the edges were jammed and other unforeseen cases.

Installation technology

When laying on horizontal surfaces - floor, flat roof - the slabs are simply laid on a flat surface. The surface should be free of sharp drops, the maximum deviation is 2-3%. This requirement must be met so that voids do not form. When laying, we follow the connections, it is advisable to glue them (you can use adhesive tape) or fill them with the same foam / glue on which the plates are attached.

If two layers of thermal insulation are applied, it is positioned so that the EPSP plates of the second row overlap the seams of the lower one. They also say that the slabs are laid with alternating seams or "staggering".

When mounting on vertical surfaces, double fastening is used:

• Glue or glue-foam is applied to the plane.
• Additionally fixed with umbrella dowels.

According to the technology of installing slab insulation on the facades, the dowel-umbrellas are installed at the junction of two sheets (any two sheets) and in the plane of the sheet - two more additional fasteners. That is, there are at least 8 fasteners per sheet (marked in red in the figure). More is possible. Less is not. Unless, of course, you want the finished insulation to come off. If the winds in the region are strong, it is better to put more. For insulation inside, you can put less (see the diagrams below).

During installation, on extreme plates and around openings, we install fasteners more often: three to four elements per plate. To keep the insulation firmly in the corners of the openings, a mesh is attached to it before plastering. It is attached at an angle of about 45 °, holding the joint together. Under such conditions, there will be no problems with finishing inside or outside.

If plaster, facade tiles, finishing stone and other heavy materials are subsequently applied to Penoplex, before starting installation, care must be taken to improve the adhesion of the material to the wall and to the finish. Even if you are installing Penoplex Wall with stripes, it is better to add roughness to the plate with a metal brush. And from two sides. If the wall is smooth, it also does not bother to add roughness - for better adhesion.

Insulation "Penoplex" is one of the most widely used extrusion finishing materials for thermal insulation of buildings and structures. Due to its excellent technical parameters, it is often used in the construction industry.

Types of "Penoplex"

"Penoplex" is one of the types of extruded polystyrene foam. The high technical characteristics of this material are determined by its cellular structure. Cells ranging in size from 0.1 to 0.2 mm are evenly distributed in the material, which gives it strength and a high degree of thermal insulation.

Depending on the type of surface to be insulated, there are several types of Penoplex:

• "Penoplex roof" is used for thermal insulation of pitched or flat roofs.
• "Penoplex wall" for insulation of internal and external walls of buildings.
• "Penoplex foundation" is used in the construction of foundations, basements, basements, cellars.
• "Penoplex Comfort" - improved technical characteristics are intended for use in houses and apartments.
• "Penoplex base" for thermal insulation of industrial and civil structures.
• "Penoplex 45" - the most specific type, it is used for thermal insulation of the runway at airfields.

The most versatile of them is Penoplex Comfort.

"Penoplex comfort": technical characteristics

Heat-insulating sheets have L-shaped edges, which greatly facilitates the installation process, and also reduces heat loss.

• The density of "Penoplex comfort" is from 25 to 35 kg / m 3.
• Compressive strength - 0.2 MPa.
• Water absorption - 0.5% of the total in 28 days.
• Flammability category - belongs to the G4 group.
• The thermal conductivity coefficient is 0.03 at 25 degrees.
• The vapor permeability coefficient is in the range of 0.007-0.008.

Plates "Penoplex comfort" are made in thickness from 2 to 12 cm, in length - from 120 to 240 cm, in width - 60 cm. 12 cm, roof - 4-6 cm.

According to the parameters of "Penoplex comfort" technical characteristics allow its operation in conditions of temperature from -50 to +75 degrees.

Dignity

This universal insulation has a lot of advantages:

• It is not affected by fungi and mold.
• High resistance to water.
• When the slabs get wet, they are not subject to rotting, unlike mineral wool.
• High density material, does not crumble or crack like foam.
• Light enough.
• It is slightly subject to deformation, since it has a high coefficient of bending and compression.
• Very low thermal conductivity.
• Low moisture absorption coefficient.

The density of foam is much higher than foam. It does not deform under stress, it can be easily cut with a knife. Since the individual elements are attached to each other very tightly, the resulting structure is very resistant to mechanical stress. The composition does not contain dust and fine fibers, which makes the installation process of Penoplex quite clean.

disadvantages

But with so many advantages, this material also has a number of disadvantages. At high temperatures, Penoplex insulation emits harmful substances and collapses; in the first days after installation, there is a strong smell in the room. Has a very low vapor permeability. The action of ultraviolet radiation is detrimental to Penoplex - it is imperative to create a protective layer. The material ignites with the release of a large amount of harmful substances and the formation of corrosive smoke. "Penoplex Comfort" has very low sound insulation performance.

Oil paints and solvents can easily destroy the structure of the material, it will lose its thermal insulation properties. But Penoplex is neutral to water-based paints, salts, alkalis, lime, cement.

Installation technology

The problem of how to sheathe a house with "Penoplex Comfort" is solved in several main stages:

1. Preparatory.
2. Directly installation of insulation.
3. Finishing the surface of the insulation.

Initially, it is necessary to prepare a surface that will be insulated. It is leveled, excess solution is removed, exfoliating pieces of the structure. If painting was previously performed, then paint and varnish materials should be completely removed. Places of formation of fungus, mold or moss are cleaned and treated with bactericidal solutions. Structures made of unplastered blocks or bricks must be primed or plastered. The prepared substrate must be absolutely dry.

Due to the exact geometrical dimensions, the assembly is carried out according to the principle of the assembly of the constructor. Insulation sheets are glued to the surface with special adhesives. The glue is applied to the surface of the Penoplex Comfort board. Additionally, the construction of the thermal insulation is reinforced with construction dowels. Particular attention should be paid to fastening in the area of ​​openings, sheet joints and in the corners of the structure.

To protect the insulation itself, plastering, finishing with facing facade materials, and roofing are required. When insulating internal surfaces, it is imperative to use a vapor barrier of a heater.

Features of finishing individual structures

In city apartments, in order to make the most practical use of the available space, balconies and loggias are often insulated. In this case, in order to save space, Penoplex Comfort insulation with a thickness of 2-5 cm is usually used indoors. This option can be used in pre-glazed loggias, preferably with double or triple glazed windows. When installing external thermal insulation, it is possible to use thicker sheets - up to 10 cm.

When insulating floors, you can lay sheets without a frame. In houses, if there is no basement, "Penoplex Comfort" is laid out directly on the ground surface. Plates with a thickness of 3 cm to 10 cm are used. The site prepared for laying must be flat and dry.

Insulation of foundations by "Penoplex Comfort" can be carried out directly on the waterproofing layer, without additional mechanical fastening of the structure. The slabs are installed with overlapping rows, they should protrude 40-50 cm above the upper level of the foundation. Then the foundation is backfilled. This material is used for any type of foundation.

Application area

"Penoplex comfort" is intended for use in insulation of foundations, basements, facades of houses, roofs, as well as internal thermal insulation in private houses or apartments. It is also often used for wall insulation on balconies and loggias, in garages and outbuildings. In suburban construction, it is used as thermal insulation for rooms with high humidity: saunas, baths, swimming pools, basements.

When using underfloor heating in the system, it is necessary to install heat-reflecting materials under the Penoplex insulation to reduce heat loss.

Certification

The production of the material "Penoplex comfort" in Russia is carried out by LLC "PO" Penoplex ". For this thermal insulation material, fire safety certificates, fire roofing safety certificates, an environmental certificate, a certificate of compliance with GOST have been made. Tests of thermal insulation for durability, acoustic tests for sound insulation were carried out. The certificate of compliance with sanitary standards received for Penoplex Comfort insulation confirms the safety of using this material for interior decoration.

Throughout the warranty period of the insulation "Penoplex Comfort", the technical characteristics of this material remain at a high level. Plates do not crumble, do not crack, retain their original density. Durability of 50 years is one of the most significant advantages of this material.

When it comes to home, the first associations, in addition to coziness, are also comfort and warmth. Therefore, heaters of all kinds and made from various raw materials will not cease to arouse increased interest among consumers. The use of this material is becoming a stable trend, so it is worthwhile to familiarize yourself in more detail with the characteristics of the penoplex and the methods of its installation.

Penoplex plates

Penoplex is expanded polystyrene obtained by extrusion.

• The process itself was invented over half a century ago in American laboratories. The result was the emergence of a new material with a structure of many small and completely "sealed" cells, not exceeding 0.2 mm in size and forming a uniform surface.
• A foaming additive is introduced into the polymer granules, which is combined with them under pressure and when heated to a certain temperature. The resulting mass is pressed through an extruder. Foaming agents (mainly carbon dioxide and a mixture of light freons) are non-toxic materials, they are non-flammable and do not emit harmful substances. In addition, as soon as the manufacturing process is completed, all these auxiliary additives are replaced with air from the environment.

Penoplex photo

As a result, a heat-insulating product is obtained with good performance for materials of this group, designed to save heat. These include:

• low thermal conductivity;
• strength;
• minimal moisture absorption.

Such characteristics provide penoplex with a constant presence on private construction sites and large-scale industrial developments.

The slabs of the material are packed in a film that protects against the penetration of sunlight. The original packaging allows you to store polystyrene foam outdoors. But, despite the plastic wrap, it is worth providing them with additional protection from UF rays, which can damage the top layer of the insulation. No other special storage conditions are required, because expanded polystyrene is not afraid of humidity and temperature extremes, the main thing is to control the safety of the packaging.

Penoplex types and applications

Five existing brands of this insulation have a fairly wide range of uses.

• Penoplex 31 C has density indicators from 28 to 30 kg / m³. Refers to the G4 flammability group. It is applied in the following areas:
• insulation of foundations in the horizontal and vertical direction, as well as roofing on a reinforced concrete base;

• when laying the bowls of pools, engineering networks, when insulating temperature bridges;
• insulation of various underground structures - fire wells, storage tanks;
• during the construction of local water supply and sewerage systems in private houses, provided that communications are laid in the freezing zone;
• Penoplex slabs of class 31 C are also used when installing shallow foundations.
• Penoplex 35 produced with a density of 28 to 37 kg / m³. Flammability group G1. It is used, like the aforementioned variety, in warming foundations in two directions, roofs (including corrugated and pitched), cold bridges and engineering networks. In addition, it is advisable to use Penoplex 35:
  • when insulating walls;
  • when laying foundations as insulation under the sole;
  • in the floors of residential buildings, warehouses, freezers and ice arenas.

Separately, it should be said that at the time of production of this brand of expanded polystyrene, special additives are added to the feedstock at the mixing stage, which increase the resistance of the insulation to combustion. Such stoves burn poorly and prevent the spread of fire further, and when smoldering, they emit only two types of gases (carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide), in contrast to a number of other insulating materials that “release” a whole complex of harmful substances and compounds.

• Penoplex 45 C has a density of 35 to 40 kg / m³. Flammability class - G4. It is used for insulation of foundations operated under load of roofs and floors.

• Penoplex 45... Density index from 38 to 45 kg / m³, flammability group G4. The scope coincides with the above types of material. And besides that, it is used for insulating floors, foundations and roofs that can withstand heavy loads. That is, the material will not collapse when exposed to a load of up to 50 tons per 1 square meter.
• Penoplex 75 in the construction of buildings is not used. Its density from 40 to 53 kg / m³ allows it to be used in the construction of runways for airfields and aircraft hangars.

Penoplex characteristics

• The density of the insulation, depending on the brand, can be from 28 to 53 kg / m³.
• Penoplex is recommended to be used only in the temperature range from -50 ° C to + 75 ° C. Compliance with operating temperatures is a guarantee that the material will retain its technical characteristics. If this condition is violated, the foam boards can deform and lose some of their thermal insulation and mechanical characteristics.
• When choosing an adhesive composition, you should carefully read its instructions and read the manufacturer's recommendations regarding the use of the product for gluing polystyrene.

• Plates of extruded polystyrene foam penoplex have good chemical resistance to most of the substances and materials used in construction. These include:
  • wood preservatives (only water-based, solvent-free);
  • bituminous mixtures;
  • cement;
  • lime.
• Substances containing a solvent can have a destructive effect on the penoplex, lead to its softening and, as a result, shrinkage of the material plates. The group of substances with which contact should be avoided when working with expanded polystyrene foam include:
  • thinners for paints;
  • coal tar and its derivatives;
  • solvents (acetone, petroleum toluene, ethyl acetate).

• Penoplex plates do not pose a threat to human health and are not hazardous to the environment, which is confirmed by research and certificates for these products.
• Penoplex material can be characterized by several more indicators.
• Low thermal conductivity (coefficient of thermal conductivity at 20-30 ° C - 0.030 W / (m × ° C)). The indicator for this assessment criterion is significantly lower compared to the average values ​​of most other insulation materials.
• Tests of plates for water absorption showed that a sample immersed in water absorbed moisture for the first 10 days. And in a month, he absorbed no more than 0.6% of the volume. That is, at first, the cells located closer to the surface slowly collected water, and after filling them, the liquid did not penetrate further. Low water absorption of penoplex makes it possible to use it in conditions of high humidity without changing thermal conductivity. That is, expanded polystyrene can be used without additional waterproofing, if it is not required by certain environmental conditions.
• In terms of vapor permeability, a 2 cm thick penoplex slab is equivalent to a layer of roofing material.
• It is able to retain its properties even with multiple frosts and subsequent thawing. Their service life is at least 50 years.
• The extrusion method used in the production of boards gives a uniform and dense structure of the finished product at the output. This gives the penoplex a consistently high compressive strength.
• Many have already appreciated the simplicity, ease of use and installation of extruded polystyrene foam. The material has no restrictions on its use in any weather conditions, nor does it require protection from atmospheric precipitation. Easy handling and simple cutting with a regular knife is extremely appreciated by builders.

Penoplex video

Do-it-yourself foam insulation

Extruded polystyrene foam, with all its versatility and remarkable characteristics, will become useless if the technology is violated during the installation process. Therefore, we will consider the stages of insulation with penoplex.

Installation of penoplex from inside the building

• Preparatory work. The standard procedure for all types of construction and finishing work is followed in this case as well. Be sure to completely remove all traces of previous surface finishes and paints and varnishes. You will have to get rid of fungus and mold with a special composition, and then it is recommended to carry out a "sanitization" with any purchased means that have bactericidal properties. The surface should be as leveled and primed as possible.
• Assembling the basement profile. The installation of this special design is necessary for a smoother and more tight fit of the expanded polystyrene boards. The profile will also protect the insulation from external influences. Its fastening is carried out on a dowel-nails, and a tight fit of the canvas to the surface to be trimmed will help to provide lining washers. An important requirement is the correspondence of the width of the basement profile to the thickness of the foam board. With the help of docking plates, adjacent structural elements are joined together. Be sure to leave a distance of about 2 mm between them.

• Installation of insulation plates. A layer of glue is applied to the penoplex along the entire perimeter of the material and in the center. Many professional builders advise not to save money, it is good to smear the entire plate with an adhesive composition. After that, the expanded polystyrene is pressed against the profile. The protruding excess glue is removed, and it is better to fill small gaps with inserts from pieces of expanded polystyrene that remained during cutting. The question of using polyurethane foam for these purposes is controversial. Some masters do not see anything wrong with its application, but there are opinions that such sealing can lead to the formation of cracks.
• Final consolidation. After the glue has dried (about 3 days), the work continues. With the help of dowels-fungi, the final fastening of the material takes place. The hardware is located in the middle of the slab and along its perimeter, but in such a way as to connect adjacent sheets.

• Insulation of the walls from the side of the dwelling is not always appropriate. The main disadvantage is the reduction in space due to the thickness of the material. Therefore, the most common type of cladding is outside.

How to insulate with foam outside the building

• In this method of insulation, you will need material with a thickness of 80 to 100 mm. The stages are similar, but there are some nuances.
• The facade is leveled, cracks are repaired and the wall is primed as a "final" treatment.
• Penoplex is glued as described above and is attached to the dowels according to the same principle.
• If finishing with plaster is planned, then as a preparatory stage it is only necessary to glue the reinforced mesh.
• If the final finish is presented using PVC panels or siding, then, accordingly, you will have to take care of the vertical guides for their fastening. An additional layer of vapor barrier is not required, and insects and rodents do not threaten the expanded polystyrene.

As you can easily make sure, all the work is quite simple to do on your own. The situation is more complicated with insulation outside apartments in a multi-storey building. In this case, one cannot do without the services of industrial climbers.

Thermal insulation of the floor with foam

• One of the ways is insulation on the logs. This option is suitable for wooden houses installed on a columnar foundation. In this case, plates of extruded polystyrene foam in the intervals between the lags.
• First, old floorboards are dismantled if the insulation process is already taking place in a residential area, and not at the construction stage. If they are planned to be returned to their place, then this is a good reason to consider each for integrity and treat with impregnation with protection against decay.
• The installation of new lags begins from the most extreme beam, leveling it, and then the beam is attached from the opposite end. Now, having pulled the fishing line between them, you can, focusing on it, install the remaining logs, not forgetting to check that they are located strictly in the horizontal plane.
• A waterproofing layer is attached to the assembled beams using a construction stapler. The edges of the film should go to the middle of each guide.
• Foam plates are laid on top. It is recommended to place it in a checkerboard pattern. It is necessary to make sure that the composition of the polyurethane foam, with which the seams will be processed, does not include toluene, which can have a destructive effect on the material.
• The final fixing of the penoplex takes place with the help of dowels, and the boards are again mounted on top.

Another laying technology involves insulation, followed by a cement screed. It is available for execution both during repair work and during the construction of a building.

• First, an even layer of gravel with a height of 30-40 cm is poured onto the ground. It is carefully compacted, and sand is laid in the second layer (about 10 cm). The pressing procedure is repeated with him too. A reinforcing cage is assembled, which is poured with concrete. After the screed has dried, the actual warming of the surface begins.
• Waterproofing is easiest to make of dense polyethylene.

• Penoplex plates, as in the previous version, are staggered. A reinforcing mesh is stretched from above.
• After fixing the expanded polystyrene, the screed is re-poured. It is allowed to dry and the flooring is laid.

The use of extruded polystyrene foam as insulation is a worthy alternative to any other way to protect the home from heat loss and create additional sound insulation. And although it has a lot of advantages, the main pleasant moment in using penoplex for many is its availability and ease of installation.