Insulation of the floor in the bathhouse. How to properly insulate the floor in a bathhouse: choice of material, calculation, technology of work Material for insulating the floor in a bathhouse

Our ancestors were sure that heat from the room, including the bathhouse, escaped through the ceiling and walls; at that time no one was involved in insulating the floor. The floor was cold, water flowed through the holes in it.

Cold bath floors are only suitable for southern regions. In places with colder climates, the concrete floor in the bathhouse should be properly insulated. What to do if the bathhouse has a cold floor? How to correct the situation and make a warm floor in the bathhouse?

Warm air moves upward, but a significant portion passes through the floor. If there is a need to insulate a concrete floor in a bathhouse, then it is important to know:

• how it is carried out (stages of work);
• what materials are most effective in arranging insulation.

You should choose a material that has good thermal insulation and is inexpensive.

The process of insulating a concrete floor in a bathhouse is necessary for favorable conditions of use. Due to sudden changes in temperature, the human body is exposed to negative effects. To speed up the heating of the room, you should create thermal insulation for the concrete floor in the bathhouse. In order for insulation to be effective, it is important to familiarize yourself with the most commonly used materials for these purposes, as well as the installation process.

Thermal insulation must be laid on a dry concrete base. The drainage of water with a concrete base occurs due to the slope, which is constructed towards the drain hole. It is important to carry out all floor installation work correctly in order to avoid troubles such as getting the insulation wet. If heat-insulating material is flooded, then reworking the floor cannot be avoided.

When installing, it is better to use modern materials; they are very practical and durable. It is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the subfloor. For example, if the bathhouse is on stilts, then the drainage is carried out through a special trench that goes into the sewer pipe, and then the water goes into the ground. To avoid an unpleasant odor, the structure should be equipped with a check valve and an adapter; it will be the connecting link between the drain and the sewer pipe.

The most popular insulation materials are polystyrene foam and mineral wool. When choosing a material, you should take into account the purpose of the room and possible loads on the base.

Mineral wool

The use of mineral wool and glass wool for insulating concrete bases is very popular. If this material is used, it is important to create a waterproofing layer so that moisture does not get on the insulation. When moisture penetrates, the thermal insulation qualities are significantly reduced.

Mineral wool, produced in the form of slabs, has significant strength.

Advantages of mineral wool:

• fire safety, resistance to high temperatures;
• has vapor permeability;
• not susceptible to the formation of all kinds of microorganisms (fungus, mold, etc.).

Please note that the material is not water-repellent; use in rooms with high humidity is not recommended. If the insulation is wet, it begins to sag and quickly loses its original properties. The material is placed between the joists, therefore, no load should fall on it.

Mineral wool is divided into:

• stone;
• slag;
• glass

The type of wool depends on the components of the material. During work, safety precautions should be observed. Avoid contact with skin or inhalation. For precautionary purposes, masks, gloves, and special clothing are used.

Expanded polystyrene

Types of polystyrene foam, its application:

• Styrofoam;

This is the most economical insulation material after expanded clay. At the same time, it gives a high effect and is moisture resistant. Has some disadvantages:

• low strength of the material. During the work process, a reinforced cement screed is placed on top of the insulation;
• When wet foam freezes, it disintegrates, turns into small balls, and loses its properties;
• The material is moderately flammable and releases harmful substances when burned.

Extruded polystyrene foam looks like polystyrene foam, but lacks many of the disadvantages that foam plastic has.

Has a number of advantages:

• high strength characteristics;
• durable;
• waterproof;
• some categories of polystyrene foam are non-flammable (safety class NG)

Expanded clay

One of the ways to insulate a concrete base is expanded clay. Its characteristics are similar to min. cotton wool To properly insulate a concrete base, it is necessary to moisten the expanded clay with cement mortar. It is important to organize a slope of 10 degrees to arrange the drain.

Perlite

Perlite can serve as insulation for the bathhouse floor. This is a good option for a concrete base. The basis of such insulation is dusty sand mixed with light cement mortar. The mixture is placed between two base screeds. Perlite is lightweight and has low thermal conductivity. Perlite is sand that has undergone an expansion process using a certain technology.

To complete the work you need:

• eliminate the possibility of drafts;
• ten liters of water should be mixed with two buckets of perlite;
• Add cement to the resulting mixture and mix everything well;
• You should get a homogeneous mass, to which add another bucket of perlite and 0.5-1 liter of water;
• it is important to thoroughly mix the components until the water begins to flow out, this indicates the readiness of the mixture - the insulation;
• the concrete base is covered with a layer of insulation and allowed to dry completely;
• The drying process takes place for a week, then a concrete screed is made on top of the perlite insulation.

This thermal insulation will not rot over time and is resistant to environmental influences.

Insulation of a concrete floor is a crucial moment. The thickness of the insulation is determined based on the material used during installation. A reinforcing mesh is placed on top of the laid material. It has plastic or alabaster-cement supports; the resulting floor structure is filled with screed. This is the final stage of insulating the bathhouse floor.

To warm up the room faster, you need to prevent heat from escaping through the cold floor of the bathhouse.

Before insulating the floor, the question arises - why? How practical is this? Concrete has poor heat retention properties. Heat losses must be prevented. To do this, you need to use materials with the highest thermal conductivity characteristics.

Installation of an insulating layer solves the following problems:

• condensation does not form on the cold floor indoors;
• prevents the occurrence of microorganisms - mold and mildew, harmful to health;
• heating costs are reduced;
• a favorable indoor microclimate is created (optimal ratio of temperature and humidity).

Without insulation of the floor in the bathhouse, the microclimate will not be comfortable and the structure will be less durable.

Options for insulating a concrete base

The concrete floor in the bathhouse can be insulated indoors, or from below the ceiling in the underground. Basically, the first method is used and insulation is carried out from above. Why is this method preferable? What are the pros and cons of the options?

When floor insulation is carried out in the underground:

• the insulation option provides high efficiency;
• freezing of the structure is prevented in winter;
• condensation may appear from the subfloor;
• does not affect the height of the room;
• indoors, the floor has a solid base without insulation.

Please note that this method of insulation from the coldest side is the most correct. If the subfloor is very low, the work will be difficult or even impossible. In this case, insulation is carried out indoors, on top of the ceiling.

The sequence of insulating a concrete floor from the inside of the room

Carrying out insulation inside has its own characteristics:

• the dew point is located inside the mounted structure;
• the room does not have frost protection;
• with this method it is necessary to create waterproofing on the cold side;
• reinforced cement screed is poured on top of the insulation;
• the insulating layer significantly reduces the height of the bathhouse room.

There are materials that have high strength and make it possible not to reinforce the screed.

Carrying out installation

To install polystyrene foam insulation you will need:

• knife for cutting insulation;
• container with polyurethane foam;
• glue;
• foil-coated polyethylene is required for insulation pairs;
• metal construction tape (for gluing polyethylene sheets).

How to properly insulate a concrete bathhouse floor?

It is important to prepare the floor for insulation. Carry out the cleaning procedure to remove dirt and dust. The material is placed in a constructed wooden or metal frame. A cement-sand screed is poured on top.

Necessary tools for working with mineral wool:

• tool for cutting material;
• tape for gluing joints of film or membrane material;
• polyethylene film for waterproofing;
• thermal insulating membrane for vapor barrier.

The process of insulating the floor in a bathhouse is very responsible; it requires a competent approach in choosing the material, as well as in following the technological process. It is faster, easier, and more effective to insulate with polystyrene foam than with a mineral slab. The cost of the material will pay off in the process of comfortable and durable operation.

Each bathhouse room performs its own function. For example, it is most important where people directly wash themselves. In other rooms, for example in a room, for relaxation or it is not so important.

When carrying out work in an already built bathhouse, the ideal solution would be to create a layer of insulating material on top of the existing base. The insulation is inserted between the built-in joists.

In the steam room, the floor should be higher for the fastest heating of the air; the smaller the steam room, the faster it heats up. Before carrying out work, the required materials are calculated. Insulation of the bath should be carried out under favorable weather conditions. Under such circumstances, work will be challenging and satisfying.

A bathhouse is not just a place where you can wash yourself clean. For a Russian person, a bathhouse is a kind of club, even, if you like, a sanctuary. But even such a sacred place should not be cold and uncomfortable. A Russian bathhouse should hold heat perfectly, keeping it for a long time. And washing in a room that instantly loses temperature is also not very pleasant. That is why good thermal insulation of all rooms in the bathhouse becomes a very important task during its construction. It is necessary to insulate all parts of the bathhouse: the walls and the ceiling, and especially the floor.

What materials should be used for floor insulation?

High humidity and temperature, which are constantly present when using a bathhouse, dictate a careful approach to the selection of materials used for thermal insulation of floors. In an ordinary room that does not have such extreme operating conditions, you can use almost any mineral-based insulation. But when thermally insulating the floor in a bathhouse, experienced builders recommend using thermal insulation material with a cellular structure. The most suitable material that meets all high requirements is polystyrene foam of all types. It is widely used for insulating floors in rooms with high humidity.

There are several approaches to the question of what material should be used for flooring in bathhouses. So, it can be made of concrete, or it can be made of wood. When insulating floors of all types, there are some general rules, which we will tell you about.

We insulate a wooden floor in a bathhouse

In the event that you have to insulate an existing wooden floor, you will first have to dismantle the existing flooring.

We carry out work according to the following algorithm:

Insulation of the concrete floor in the bathhouse should be done after laying the rough screed. We proceed according to the following algorithm:

1. We place waterproofing on the rough screed. As such, you can use ordinary durable polyethylene. We spread the film over the entire floor, extending onto the walls at least 5 centimeters; we can then cut off the excess. When using rolled material, make an overlap of about 10 centimeters, fixing the joints with tape.
2. We lay thermal insulation material. Ordinary polystyrene foam can be used as insulation. To fix the foam boards, we form frames from wooden beams and fasten them to the floor with self-tapping screws on dowel plugs.
3. We fill the foam plates and frame with a fixing solution, then place a reinforcing mesh on top. The thickness of the screed over the foam sheets should be at least 2 centimeters.
4. After the reinforcing screed has dried, fill in the rough leveling screed. We use a self-leveling mixture; the total thickness of the screed above the foam should reach 5-8 centimeters. We level the finishing screed with a needle roller, removing air bubbles.

We create a warm water floor in the bathhouse

A good option for insulating the floor in a stationary bathhouse would be to install a warm water floor. We carry out work according to the following scheme:

1. We prepare the surface for installation work. We eliminate floor defects - chips, protrusions and cracks.
2. We place thermal insulation material over the entire surface, preventing unnecessary energy consumption.
3. We fix the damping tape along the walls of the room, preventing the floor from deforming due to thermal expansion.
4. We place the reinforcing mesh on the floor, lay out the pipe with the coolant liquid, avoiding those places where the floor does not need to be heated. The maximum distance from the pipe to the wall should be 10 centimeters.
5. When laying the pipeline system, we leave the pipes a certain degree of freedom, ensuring their safety during temperature deformation.
6. We connect the pipeline system to the heating system using inlet and outlet manifolds. We carefully fix the pipe connections using couplings and windings.
7. We check the operation of the heated water floor system at maximum water flow power, and carefully monitor for possible leaks.
8. If the test results are satisfactory, we form a cement screed, first rough and then self-leveling.
9. We lay an absorbent layer between the screed and the finishing coating, then install the finishing coating.

You can make your favorite bathhouse comfortable and safe, while extending its service life, by simply insulating its floors. This process only seems complicated and time-consuming. In fact, you can do all the work yourself. The main thing is to listen to the advice of builders and select the right materials.

The need to insulate the floor in the bathhouse

You can make your favorite bathhouse comfortable and safe, while extending its service life, by simply insulating its floors

Good thermal insulation helps solve several problems at once:

• reduce heat loss - due to a cold floor, up to 20% of the heat in the steam room is lost.
• increase the rate of room heating.
• extend the service life of the building - sudden temperature changes, high humidity and dampness lead to the appearance of rot on log wooden floors.
• make the bathhouse safe for health - a cold floor can provoke the development of colds, and rot and fungus can cause diseases of the respiratory system.

It is necessary to insulate the floor in all rooms, including the steam room, dressing room, washing room and rest room.

Insulation methods

When choosing insulation, it is important to remember that heat-insulating materials that are used in residential premises are not always suitable for baths. Simply because they cannot withstand operation in conditions of high humidity, as a result of which they can quickly lose their properties.

The modern market offers many different options, including budget ones. Among them, everyone can find something for themselves.

Perlite is a material that has the structure of sand, expanded using a special technology.

Perlite is mixed with cement and water to form a perlite concrete mixture, which is laid on a pre-laid concrete slab. After this, insulation work is suspended for a week until the perlite layer has completely dried.

Advantages of perlite:

• ease;
• low thermal conductivity;
• excellent vapor permeability, thanks to which all surfaces breathe and a natural microclimate is maintained in the room;
• environmentally friendly - it does not provoke allergies;
• heat and sound insulation – a layer of perlite 3 cm thick has the same thermal conductivity properties as a layer of brick 15 cm thick;
• fire resistance – perlite does not burn and can withstand temperatures from -200C to +845C;
• durability - the service life of this material is unlimited, due to which it retains its thermal conductivity properties for a long time.

It is necessary to work with perlite indoors. Otherwise, the material may fly apart under the influence of a draft.

The disadvantages of perlite include: high cost compared to other insulation materials, difficulties in finding it, since it is not available in all stores, and the need to follow the rules when working with it. Builders recommend moistening it a little, as it is very dusty.

Expanded clay not only performs thermal insulation functions, but also smoothes out existing unevenness

Expanded clay is made from clay. When fired at a temperature of 1400C, it forms granules with a porous structure. They are poured onto the prepared base, not only performing thermal insulation functions, but also smoothing out existing unevenness.

Manufacturers offer several types of expanded clay with granule sizes from 5 mm to 4 cm. To ensure better thermal insulation, they can be mixed. Thus, small granules will evenly fill the empty space between large ones and make the thermal insulation layer dense and resistant to subsidence.

It is undesirable to use split or damaged expanded clay granules, as they have worse thermal insulation properties than whole ones.

Advantages of expanded clay:

• environmentally friendly - it is safe for human health;
• thermal insulation;
• sound insulation;
• ease;
• cheapness;
• ability to withstand heavy loads - up to 300 kg/m2.

The main disadvantage of expanded clay is its high moisture absorption. Therefore, before backfilling, you should take care of an additional layer of waterproofing and lay roofing felt, for example. The top layer of expanded clay is also covered with several layers of roofing material, on top of which a screed is made.

Foam plastic

Foam plastic is called an ideal option for insulating baths, since its slabs have a cellular structure that is resistant to high humidity

Foam plastic is called an ideal option for insulating baths. Its slabs have a cellular structure that is resistant to high humidity. It absorbs no more than 1% of moisture by weight when completely immersed in water for 24 hours. And its benefits don't end there. Styrofoam:

• has excellent thermal conductivity;
• has a high density (up to 500 kg/m2);
• characterized by ease of installation;
• has a low cost.

In addition, it prevents steam from escaping outside the steam room and is suitable not only for floor insulation, but also for thermal insulation of walls.

It is not advisable to use polystyrene with low density for pouring concrete or cement-sand screed.

Like any other insulation, polystyrene foam has its drawbacks. They are revealed in weak mechanical strength, low resistance to nitrocellulose-based paints and varnishes and the inability to allow air to pass through.

Other materials

Mineral wool has been successfully used to insulate concrete floors

Thermal insulating properties have:

• Penoplex, or extruded polystyrene foam - it is produced in the form of slabs with a thickness of 20-100 mm. In appearance, they resemble polystyrene foam, but differ from it in improved technical characteristics. The material is highly valued for its advantages: increased strength, durability, sound insulation, low specific gravity and high thermal insulation properties. In addition, penoplex does not absorb moisture at all, does not crumble during installation, does not rot, and does not dry out over time. Its slabs “sit” on glue or are fastened with dowels.

Penoplex is absolutely safe for health only when it is manufactured in accordance with existing standards. If they are damaged, styrene, a toxic substance, may remain in the slabs. You can minimize the risk of its exposure to humans by plastering the penoplex or tightly covering it with sheets of drywall. In this case, you need to ensure that there are no gaps left at the joints.

• Basalt insulation materials - mineral wool, glass wool, etc. - are used to insulate concrete floors. They are laid under wooden flooring only if there is a good waterproofing layer. Their advantages are low cost, low thermal conductivity, sound insulation, resistance to deformation and ultraviolet radiation, non-flammability and easy installation. Glass wool additionally protects the bathhouse from rodents and other pests, but when working with it it is necessary to use protective clothing, a respirator, gloves and goggles.

Builders recommend insulating only the floors of the washing room, dressing room and dressing room with glass wool. It is not advisable to use it in a steam room or fill openings near the stove with it. High temperatures can cause sintering of the fibers, as a result of which the material will lose its thermal insulation properties.

• Jute felt is an organic material that retains heat well, is durable and resistant to fungus.
• Empty bottles - plastic or glass. They create an air layer under the concrete, thereby retaining heat on its surface. The advantages of this method are low cost and ease of installation. In addition, a floor insulated with bottles is not afraid of temperature changes and does not become unusable due to soil heaving. It is done quite easily. Sand is poured and compacted onto the base under the concrete floor. A reinforced mesh is laid on top of it, on top of which the bottles are laid. Slightly warmed up and covered with tight lids, they should lie with their necks facing each other, filling all the free space. Subsequently, concrete will be poured onto them so that it covers them completely. After it has completely hardened, it is advisable to pour another layer of concrete, which will serve as the basis for a finishing screed or ceramic tiles. The only drawback of this method is its fragility. It is not intended for rooms where the floor will be subject to heavy loads, which is why it violates safety regulations. Nevertheless, it exists and is successfully used in artisanal construction.
  

  To achieve maximum effect, it is advisable to fill plastic bottles intended for floor insulation with sawdust before use.

Work on insulating the floor in a bathhouse can also be done using other materials. The following have thermal insulating properties: construction felt impregnated with bitumen, foam concrete, expanded clay sand and gravel, polpan, boiler slag, isover, ursa, etc. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages and perfectly performs its assigned functions if used correctly.

If necessary, you can even replace modern insulation with clay mixed with earth or peat, moss, sawdust, pine shavings, dried oak leaves and other materials that were used in construction several decades ago.

The right choice of insulation is the key to success

The modern market offers a huge number of insulation materials. They differ from each other not only in their technical characteristics, but also in cost. However, you should not rely on the latter when choosing the best option.

The choice of insulation must be made based on:

• Type of flooring. Concrete floors are insulated with penoplex, expanded clay or perlite. The wooden floor is made of penoplex, as this is the only material that does not absorb moisture at all. It is undesirable to lay insulation with a fiber or open cellular structure under it, for example, expanded clay, since in this case it will be necessary to equip a reinforced layer of waterproofing. Penoplex can be replaced with foamed polymers - ecowool or Aisinin foam. Being light in weight, they retain heat well. However, electric, infrared or water heating can be installed under both concrete and wooden floors.
• The premises in which it will be installed. Organic insulation is suitable only for use in rest rooms or in the dressing room, since even treatment with fire retardants does not make them resistant to high temperatures.
• Personal wishes for safety - insulation can be organic and of plant or animal origin (felt, tow, cellulose) and inorganic (foam plastic, mineral wool and glass wool). The latter are produced through the processing of minerals and are characterized by resistance to high temperatures. However, they are inferior in environmental friendliness to organic insulation.

In addition, you need to pay attention to the specific gravity of the insulation itself. A good insulation is one that does not create additional load on the foundation.

Required materials and tools

Ruberoid can be used as a waterproofing material

The choice of materials for insulation and tools for working with them is purely individual. In the case of a wooden floor you will need:

• roofing felt, glassine or sheet foam, from which layers of vapor and waterproofing are formed;
• direct insulation - penoplex, ecowool or expanded clay;
• cement, water, sand for preparing a solution with expanded clay, if it will still be used as insulation.

To insulate a concrete floor you will need:

• coating waterproofing (rubber-bitumen mastic, etc.) and roll, for example, hydroglass insulation or roofing felt;
• insulation – polystyrene foam, penoplex, perlite or expanded clay;
• cement and sand for pouring screed or for mixing mortar with perlite.

The calculation of the required amount of materials in both cases is carried out based on the square footage of the room.

Tools:

• ruler;
• square;
• sharp knife or hacksaw;
• pencil;
• perforator;
• dowel-mushrooms.

Preparing rooms and surfaces

If for some reason the floor was not insulated during the construction stage, you will have to dismantle the old floor covering

To facilitate the assembly of the wooden floor in the future, dismantled boards and decorative elements must be numbered.

After dismantling, it is important to check the suitability of the rough beams (they make up the rough floor). Damaged ones must be replaced with new ones. To avoid rotting, they are treated with an antiseptic.

You cannot coat the material that will be used in the steam room with an antiseptic. When heated in this room, harmful chemical fumes will appear.

Insulation of the floor in different rooms of the bathhouse - steam room, wash room, relaxation room - is done in its own way. This is due to the different temperature conditions and humidity levels that are observed in them.

Step-by-step instructions for floor insulation

Builders have developed a technology for insulating wooden and concrete floors, which has been popular for many years. In rare cases, minor changes may be made to it based on the wishes of the owners.

Wood

After all the preparatory work has been completed, the foundation is created

1. After all the preparatory work has been completed, the foundation is created. To do this, cranial bars are built onto the beams. A subfloor of marked and cut boards is laid on top of them. Their length should correspond to the distance between the beams.

It is extremely important to leave gaps between the boards themselves. They will avoid deformation due to temperature changes.

A waterproofing layer - roofing material or glassine - is laid on the resulting base. You need to make sure that it covers all the beams and goes 20 cm onto the walls around the entire perimeter. To ensure tightness, an overlap of 10 cm is made, and the joints are connected with vapor barrier tape.

2. At this stage, you can proceed directly to laying the insulation on top of the waterproofing material or laying a second subfloor, which will serve as an additional basis for the insulation.

There are no standards regulating the thickness of the insulation layer. It can reach 25 cm if it is necessary to minimize heat loss in the bathhouse by insulating the floor.

3. Laying waterproofing on the insulation.

4. Laying the finished floor. The boards must be thoroughly dried. Initially, they do not need to be secured, but only laid down. After this, the bathhouse is dried again, and the boards are finally nailed down. At this stage, the protruding edges of the waterproofing are trimmed.

When laying the finished floor, you need to ensure that there is a gap of 4 cm between it and the waterproofing layer itself. It will provide optimal conditions for drying wet wood.

Builders recommend making the floor in the bathhouse from hardwood - poplar, aspen, oak, pine or fir. Not only an antiseptic or a pre-made gap between the floor and waterproofing, but also a removable floor can protect them from rotting. It is set up in a steam room or wash room. To do this, the boards are not nailed, but only carefully laid so that after they get wet they can be replaced with dry ones.

Another option for quickly drying a wooden floor is a special technique designed for this.

Concrete

The technology for insulating a concrete floor differs from the technology for insulating a wooden floor.

The technology for insulating a concrete floor differs from insulating a wooden one. And its service life exceeds the service life of a wooden one by 4 times. Thus, concrete can reduce the cost of re-flooring in the future.

Warming stages:

1. Laying a concrete slab on the foundation, if it is missing.
2. Laying a waterproofing material, such as roofing felt, on top of the slab. It can be replaced with rubber-bitumen mastic, however, in this case it is better to coat the surface with it at least 3 times.
3. Laying insulation - glass wool or polystyrene foam. The joints between the plates are taped with construction tape. Instead of inorganic insulation, you can use expanded clay or perlite.

When insulating with perlite, a perlite concrete solution is prepared from water and perlite, which are mixed in a 1:2 ratio. The resulting mixture is mixed well until it shrinks completely, after which cement is introduced into it in small parts. Its ratio to the total volume should not exceed 0.5. After thorough mixing, another 1 part of perlite and 0.5 parts of water are added to the solution. Do not add more water to it, even if it seems too dry. Only thorough kneading will help correct the situation and give it the required elasticity. The prepared solution is laid out on a concrete base in a layer of 10 cm. It hardens within 6-7 days.

When insulating with expanded clay, it is pre-prepared cement mortar that is poured over concrete. After it has completely hardened, the expanded clay itself is filled with a layer at least 8 cm thick. A new layer of concrete is poured on top of it. It must be reinforced with reinforcement or reinforced mesh and wait until the surface has completely hardened, after which insulation work can continue.

4. Reinforced mesh is also spread over polystyrene foam or glass wool. A rough screed is poured on top of it in a layer of 5-8 cm, which is then leveled with a needle roller.

5. After this, ceramic tiles are laid or a finishing screed is poured.

By insulating the floor in the dressing room, you can do without waterproofing, since there is no large accumulation of moisture in this room. Therefore, here you can lay a layer of insulation between the subfloor and the finished floor. When insulating the floor in the washroom and steam room, you can not dismantle the finishing flooring, but lay materials on top of it. This will allow you to raise the floor by at least 15 cm, thereby reducing the area of ​​the room and speeding up the process of warming it up.

Application of the "Warm Floor" system

Liquid or air heated floors, which were known in ancient times, are also widely popular.

Liquid or air heated floors, which were known in ancient times, are also widely popular. Their arrangement involves laying wiring for heat transferred by air, water or a heating element under the finished floor. They are installed in small areas with a small load-bearing load.

Stages of work:

1. Leveling the subfloor.
2. Laying a heat insulator - polystyrene foam or mineral wool in order to avoid excessive consumption of thermal energy. For maximum effect, you can use aluminum foil. At this stage, it is advisable to lay a damper tape around the entire perimeter. It will prevent the walls from coming into contact with the mortar and compensate for the expansion of concrete when hardening.
3. Laying reinforced mesh over the heat insulator.
4. Laying pipes in a “snake” or “snail” manner in places that require heating. Between them, as well as between pipes and walls, a distance of 10 cm should be left.
5. Connecting pipes to the heating system through manifolds. The elements need to be connected using couplings and windings.
6. Carrying out tests at maximum pressure power and eliminating identified leaks.
7. Pouring the subfloor.

Considering that in bathhouses built on screw piles, a wooden floor is installed, the technology for its insulation is practically no different from the technology for insulating a log wooden floor

Considering that in bathhouses built on screw piles, a wooden floor is installed, the technology for its insulation is practically no different from the technology for insulating a log wooden floor.

1. The pile heads are tied with screw beams, which will later serve as a support for the floor covering.
2. A layer of waterproofing - roofing felt or mastic - is laid on the existing foundation made of wooden beams.
3. Inside the contour of the upper part of the foundation - the grillage - load-bearing beams are installed on which the subfloor will be laid. In this case, you need to maintain a step of 30-40 cm.
4. A skull beam is attached to the underside of the beams, on top of which the subfloor is laid.
5. A layer of waterproofing and insulation itself are laid on top of the floor. On top it is covered with a film or waterproofing material.
6. Installation of a finished wooden floor.

Solving the issue of insulating the second floor in the bathhouse

The floors on the second floor of the baths are insulated using standard technology

In modern baths, relaxation rooms are located on the second floor. The floors in them are insulated using standard technology. Vapor barrier, insulation, waterproofing and flooring are laid on the ceiling, which now serves as a kind of foundation. It is best to use foil material as a vapor barrier. It not only perfectly performs its functions, but also reflects heat. It is better to make the insulation layer at least 20 cm.

It is advisable to leave gaps between the foil and the inner lining, layers of waterproofing and insulation, waterproofing and flooring.

Insulating the floor in a bathhouse is a troublesome and time-consuming task. However, it is fully rewarded with comfort, safety, warmth, coziness and a special atmosphere that begins to reign in it after its completion.

Therefore, do not deny yourself the pleasure of enjoying them! Moreover, provided that materials are selected correctly and technology is followed, they will also extend the life of the building and help save on repair work in the future.

The floor in the bathhouse is periodically exposed to extreme temperatures and moisture, so its installation and insulation must be taken very seriously. The service life of this building will entirely depend on the quality of the materials and the foundation structure itself. Since the materials for laying it can be different, the insulation must be appropriate.

In which rooms of the bathhouse should the floor be insulated?

In which rooms is it necessary to insulate the floor? This question interests many builders. A large amount of water is constantly pouring into the washing room and therefore wooden and concrete types of bases do not have time to dry well. In the steam room, very high temperature and humidity have a negative impact on all structures of the room, not excluding the floor. In this case, favorable conditions for the proliferation of fungi and mold are created very quickly.

The base is made with a certain slope to quickly drain water into various types of sewer systems (drain pit, sewer, or simply into the ground). A wide variety of modern materials can be used for its construction, but mostly a wooden covering is used. But over time, even the best wooden floor will begin to deteriorate under the influence of water and high temperature. It is impossible to lay various synthetic materials (linoleum and laminate) in the bathhouse, so you need to think about high-quality construction and insulation of the structure.

A concrete floor lined with tiles would be the most suitable option for a hot steam room. But in a rest room or dressing room, a wooden base would be appropriate. But in any case, any type of floor must be insulated, since when leaving the hot steam room you can feel the unpleasant cold under your feet.

In addition, the bathhouse can have clay and earthen bases, which do not need to be insulated.

Thermal insulation is carried out for “dry” floors that do not have leaking wooden or concrete bases. For them, the drainage is performed with a slope of approximately 10° towards the flow of water into a gutter or a special hole for drainage. Only with high-quality installation of floors in the bathhouse, water will not be able to spoil the thermal insulation material, and it will serve for many years.

How to insulate the floor in a steam room: several ways

There are several ways to insulate the floor in a bathhouse, which differ in their methods and choice of materials.

Insulation with cement screed on the ground can be done in various rooms, as it is of high quality. This is a multi-layer insulation method, which, if desired, can be simplified depending on the location of the building.

Cement screed on the floor is carried out using extruded foam or mineral wool. To cover the floor, concrete slabs with special holes are used here, which significantly reduce the percentage of heat losses and make it possible to create warmer floors.

Insulation of wooden joists is carried out using mineral wool, ordinary polystyrene foam or various bulk materials. In the same way, the process of insulating the floor in a bathhouse, which is built on screw piles, occurs.

The use of liquid materials (penoizol, polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam) is the latest technology, which is characterized by a high degree of efficiency and long service life. This is a universal way to insulate floors in bath rooms.

Insulation with natural materials is a traditional method of installing floors. Materials such as straw, clay and sawdust are used for this.

The installation of warm floors is another method of insulation. They are divided into three types: electric, infrared and water. Infrared special mats are laid on an adhesive composition before the tiles are laid on the floor. Electric heating elements are distributed over the entire surface of the thermal insulation layer. Water metal-plastic, polyethylene or copper pipes are laid under the floor.

Which material is best: advantages and disadvantages

To insulate concrete floors in bathhouses, the best solution is to pour two layers of mortar with materials such as polystyrene foam, expanded clay, perlite, penoplex or mineral wool. For the construction of wooden floors, the same expanded clay is usually used, as well as slag and mineral wool.

Perlite in its structure is a light expanded composition of volcanic origin, with a low degree of thermal conductivity. Since this insulation easily scatters throughout the room, when working with it it is necessary to avoid drafts and the penetration of air from outside.

Advantages

Polystyrene foam is an inexpensive, lightweight insulation material that is widely used to insulate floors in various rooms. The disadvantage of this material is its toxicity, so when purchasing, you need to be interested in product quality certificates.

Advantages

Expanded clay is a lightweight thermal insulation material that is produced from clay under high temperatures. As a result of this process, light but durable granules with a porous structure are obtained.

Advantages

Mineral wool is the most popular insulation for floors. But it cannot be used in all rooms of the bathhouse, since it absorbs moisture well, due to which its characteristics significantly deteriorate. That is why the use of mineral wool requires a mandatory waterproofing device.

Advantages

Penoplex is a representative of foam materials, which is used to insulate floors in various rooms, including bathhouses. This material does not require much physical effort during installation, since it is simply glued to the concrete base with a special adhesive composition.

Advantages

Such universal insulation as polystyrene foam is used for wooden and concrete floors. This is a fairly rigid and lightweight material, which consists of a polymer alloy of small rounded granules. Expanded polystyrene can be easily cut with a regular knife, so it can be installed in any room structure.

Advantages

Calculation of the required amount of material

Depending on the size of the room, we can calculate the amount of materials required for thermal insulation of a floor with a cement screed on the ground. For example, the thickness of expanded clay and foam boards will be different for floor insulation.

Let's consider the simplest option for insulating a dressing room with an area of ​​4 m2 with ecowool.

We make calculations using the formula: S of the dressing room (m2) multiplied by the thickness of the material (m) and multiplied by the density (kg/m3), and then divide the result by the weight of one package.

Let's take ecowool 20 cm thick (density 35 kg/m3). The weight of one package is 15 kg.

We carry out the calculation: 4x0.2x35:15 = 1.86. Thus, we will need 2 packages of material for high-quality insulation of the floor in the dressing room. This calculation method can be used for any thermal insulation materials.

Tools and materials

Step-by-step instructions for doing the work yourself

Depending on the type of floor covering in the bathhouse (concrete, wood, on stilts), the insulation process will be slightly different.

Stages of concrete floor insulation

Stages of insulating a wooden floor

Stages of insulating the floor of a bathhouse on screw piles

Stages of floor insulation with liquid insulation (foam)

Currently, for high-quality floor insulation with modern liquid materials, there is no need to contact specialized companies, since thanks to modern small-sized portable equipment, you can carry out all the work yourself.

Materials and tools

Liquid insulation is suitable for both wooden and concrete bases. After hardening, it becomes perfectly smooth, which prevents water from getting inside the insulation.

Video: insulating the floor in a bathhouse

Stages of installing a warm water floor in a bathhouse

An excellent way of insulation would be to install a water heated floor. You can do it yourself by following the instructions.

Materials and tools

Warm floor project

When making calculations, it is necessary to take into account that the maximum water temperature when passing through the pipes should not exceed 55 ° C, even if it is much higher in the boiler. Therefore, only correct calculations can ensure high-quality functioning of the entire system.

Video: creating a warm water floor

How to make an electric heated floor in a bathhouse

It is much easier to make an electric floor yourself than a water floor. But it is best to use this option in bathhouses with a minimum degree of humidity. In this case, a special electrical wire is used, which is installed in the floor under the final coating layer.

One of the problems that can upset the owners of a brand new steam room may be that the floor in the room is too cold. If you assembled a bathhouse in the summer, you could also insulate the floor in the bathhouse, as they say, according to the season or according to the standard adopted for ordinary housing on a light foundation. With the arrival of winter, there is clearly not enough thermal insulation, and in the steam room, not to mention the dressing room and dressing room, it becomes chilly even with a properly working stove.

Insulating a bath floor with mineral wool will cost the least

Why is the floor in the bathhouse cold?

It is clear that the boards on the floor in the bathhouse should not be overheated, but it is even worse if at a height of 10-20 cm from the surface the air already seems cold, and in severe frost even icy.

There are few reasons for such cooling of the lower tier, mainly due to errors made when planning the design and insulation capacity of the floors in the bathhouse:

• Conversion of a summer steam room - a temporary hut into a full-fledged bathhouse, without thermal insulation of the foundation and soil under the floor;
• Incorrect location of the stove. If the distance from the boards or tiles to the stove vent is more than 25 cm, and on top of that, a screen is installed, then even the insulated floor in the bathhouse will simply not have time to warm up during a few hours of visiting the steam room;
• Erroneous design of the drainage system, or worse, the installation of a drainage pit under the bathhouse.

Important! The main reason still remains illiterate arrangement of thermal insulation. The method of insulating bathhouse floors differs from installing warm walls and ceilings.

Another factor that prevents you from properly insulating the floor in a bathhouse with your own hands can be considered basic illiteracy or the desire to save on building materials. For example, when planning floor insulation for different rooms of a bathhouse, different materials and techniques are used. You can’t do everything with one size fits all; if in a steam room it is necessary to lay reflective thermal insulation under the subfloor, then for a concrete base it makes no sense to do this, it’s just a waste of money. Making the floor as hot as in a steam room will not be a mistake, but if it’s the other way around, then it will be impossible to heat the steam room even in 4-5 hours.

Insulating a bathhouse floor without a vapor barrier is wasted effort and resources.

There is a cold floor in the bathhouse: how to fix it

Even if the bathhouse has a weak and cold floor, no one will rebuild the building, and there is no particular need for this. But it is necessary to improve the insulation, waterproofing of the foundation and thermal insulation of the steam room, washing department and rest room.

Important! There are few options for preserving heat, but each of them requires a very careful, balanced approach. In addition to insulating the bathhouse floor, it is necessary to ensure normal ventilation of the space, otherwise the subfloor will not only be cold, but also wet due to condensation, and, as a result, contaminate the bathhouse with a sick atmosphere.

What can be done:

• In the rest room and washing department of the bathhouse, remove the floors, lay insulation and fill with concrete screed. A finishing floor is laid on top. Due to the air gap and the insulated concrete base, heat loss will be reduced by 3-4 times;
• For small-sized steam rooms, you can try to solve the problem by laying a heat-insulating layer and changing the air movement pattern between the subfloor and the facing floor. A stove with 10 kW of thermal power, with the correct arrangement of air channels, heats the floor in the dressing room and in the sink even faster than the walls;
• Tiny bathhouses with an area of ​​4-7 m2 can simply be equipped with a “warm floor” water heating system. For most winter country steam rooms today, this is the most optimal insulation option.

A hot water tank installed on the stove will provide not only floor heating, plus, it will be possible to regulate the temperature depending on the weather and frost. And most importantly, upon completion of the bath procedures, the heat stored in the container with water will be enough to dry the floor and drain even with the stove turned off.

You can heat the floor of the bathhouse from the stove

Of course, all of the above measures only make sense if all floor levels in the bathhouse are properly insulated, otherwise the effect of heating the wooden base will be reduced to zero.

How not to insulate the floor

Separately, mention should be made of methods that cannot be used to insulate the base of a bath floor. Firstly, you cannot rely only on the air gap between the wooden plank flooring and the ground. If the bathhouse’s subfloor is made without waterproofing, in other words, there is open ground under the joists or a dug hole to collect water, then it will not be possible to insulate the floor. Moist air conducts heat very well, so the soil must be covered, an outlet drain and an additional layer of heat-insulating material must be installed.

Insulation from cut foam packaging is unlikely to preserve the bathhouse floor

Secondly, you cannot fill the outer parts of the foundation and walls with soil. Sometimes this is done to cover the outer layer of insulation in the foundations of residential buildings, but the earthen embankment itself leads to the accumulation of water and rotting of the lower crowns of the walls. For a bathhouse, it is more profitable to insulate the floor indoors, rather than deal with general heat loss.

Thirdly, you cannot use electric heaters, no matter whether they are film or based on a high-resistance cable. This is a direct violation of safety rules, and the effectiveness of such a warm floor in a bathhouse is low.

What is the best insulation for a bathhouse floor?

Of the entire list of insulation materials used in domestic construction, only a few that are most resistant to high temperature and humidity can be used to insulate the lower tier of a bathhouse:

• Extruded polystyrene foam or foam;
• Bulk insulation based on granulated perlite or expanded clay;
• Multilayer polyethylene foam with a reflective aluminum layer;
• Mineral wool.

In addition to standard methods of insulating a floor, there are many folk methods of heat preservation, most of them are still used in practice for small country steam rooms and padded jackets.

The floor can be insulated with standard foam and fiber materials

Important! Traditional methods are quite labor-intensive, require patience and good knowledge of the features of preparing insulation, therefore, if there is no accurate information about what and how the material should be laid, then it is better to use more understandable traditional methods and heat insulators.

Bulk insulation

Many builders do not like insulating the floor in a bathhouse with expanded clay or perlite for one simple reason. The process itself turns out to be quite dirty and dusty; upon completion of the work, the walls and wooden floors have to be washed and cleaned of dust for a long time. Perlite is especially “dusty” in nature; it has to be placed in the floor as a 3:1 additive to the cement mortar.

Perlite is not cheap, but insulation from granules is ideal

Expanded clay itself tolerates high temperatures well, so it retains its insulating qualities without degradation for decades. But baked porous clay has one drawback - expanded clay, like a sponge, absorbs water vapor and odors.

If in a bathhouse some of the moisture gets into the expanded clay through cracks or cracks in the logs, then the material will have to be changed; even prolonged heating will not restore the heat-insulating qualities.

One of the advantages is the simple technology; insulating the floor in a bathhouse with expanded clay with your own hands is considered the most affordable method of all existing ones. Expanded clay is ideal for steam rooms and dressing rooms, provided that good waterproofing and vapor barriers are provided. The recommended layer thickness is up to 20 cm.

Mineral wool for bathhouse floors

For insulation, mineral fiber boards are used, you can use basalt, gabbro-basalt or even slag processing products; it is better not to use glass wool. The most popular brands are Rockwool or TechnoNIKOL.

The thickness of the thermal insulation layer for the steam room must be at least 15 cm, with mandatory vapor barrier protection on the bottom layer and waterproofing on the top. Unlike expanded clay, thermal insulation of a bathhouse floor with mineral fiber is only possible over wooden joists.

Foam materials

There is a certain prejudice in the use of polystyrene foam and polyethylene foam in insulating the bathhouse floor. Many bathhouse owners, and experts too, believe that when heating the floor and walls in a steam room, the appearance of polymer decomposition products is inevitable. In the case of walls and ceilings, this statement may have some basis. The cladding in the ceiling space can heat up to 100 o C.

Insulation with polystyrene foam is the most durable

The floor in the bathhouse is another matter, it is always damp or even wet, the temperature rarely exceeds 50 o C, so it is also possible to insulate the floor in the bathhouse with polystyrene foam, but under a screed.

Advice! In cold climates, the floor in the bathhouse can be additionally insulated using foil polyethylene foam. One additional layer of thermal insulation can reduce losses through the floor by 20%.

How to properly insulate the floor in a bathhouse

It is clear that the choice of insulation method fully depends on the design of the floor and foundation. For example, for a steam room installed on an uninsulated earthen base, you cannot use insulation that absorbs moisture. In this case, it will be necessary to make a screed and additional waterproofing of the base.

Scheme of insulation of wooden floors of a bathhouse on columnar supports

If the bathhouse box is installed on stilts, then the lower level of insulation is covered with vapor and wind insulation, and a waterproofing membrane is laid under the finished floor, on top of the insulation. The same film serves as a water collector for the inlet funnel of the built-in sewage system.

Snipovo insulation scheme for a bathhouse on the ground

Insulation of a wooden floor in a bathhouse

If it so happens that the bathhouse box, including the floor, is on the ground, then the best insulation option would be to use EPS. Extruded polystyrene foam does not allow water vapor to pass through, so you can lay out and glue the sheets directly onto the ground covered with plastic film. The next layer of waterproofing is laid, and then you can lay out the finished floor boards. In a steam room, they are usually made removable to make cleaning and drying easier.

EPS can be laid directly on the ground

It is customary to glue EPS at joints, therefore, if you use polyurethane glue and take slabs with a thickness of at least 50 mm, then you can completely dispense with the bottom layer of film. True, in this case you will have to make a cushion of gravel and sand to protect the wooden floor and the entire bathhouse building from ground moisture. If the room is planned for a steam room, then the wooden floor can be insulated with an additional layer of mineral slabs.

Insulation on a sand-crushed stone cushion

The result is a very simple and dry floor, in which, apart from the plank floorboards, there are no parts, joists or beams made of wood, which means there is nothing to rot, there is no basis for the growth of fungus.

Insulation by joists

In most cases, they try to raise the bathhouse box onto a foundation of piles or columnar supports in order to avoid rotting of the base part or the lower crowns of the walls. In this case, the floor is made on joists.

You can insulate the floor by laying EPS or polystyrene foam in the space between the wooden beams. A layer of waterproofing is first laid, then insulation and a vapor barrier membrane. The joints between the slabs and beams are covered with foam.

The second option involves the use of mineral wool slabs. In this case, there should be a ventilation gap of 10-15 cm high between the wooden floor and the insulation surface.

Thermal insulation on Rockwool with reflective foil

How to insulate a concrete floor in a bathhouse

The easiest way to insulate a foundation is to use perlite concrete. Add perlite moistened with water and a small amount of liquid soap to a regular solution. In this case, the mixture becomes fluid, and insulation up to 12 cm thick can be poured without much difficulty.

A more complex, but at the same time higher-quality option for insulating a concrete floor in a bathhouse involves the use of an embedded insulating layer made of EPS. A waterproofing film is laid on top of the laid polystyrene foam panels and beacons made of perforated profiles are glued on.

If the thickness of the screed is less than 40 mm, then a mesh of fiberglass reinforcement is first laid. It is clear that a concrete floor with insulation is just a rough foundation; to ensure the required level of comfort in the bathhouse, you will need to remember about waterproofing the surface and the sewerage system.

Next, all that remains is to lay oak or larch beams and lay wooden floorboards. With such insulation, sanded boards are laid with a gap of 2-3 mm. The cracks do not interfere with walking in bath slippers and at the same time do not allow the wooden floorboards to swell and stand on end. During the cleaning process, they are easy to remove, put away, dry and return to their place.

How to insulate the floor in a bathhouse with your own hands: video

Oddly enough, when installing floor insulation in a steam room or other rooms of a bathhouse, groundwater drainage is not done; these problems are solved with the help of drainage laid along the perimeter of the building’s foundation.

The first thing to do is to dig up part of the soil inside the bathhouse to a depth of at least 15 cm and replace the removed mass with a sand-crushed stone mixture or expanded clay, in this case the insulation will be softer. It is clear that the layer will need to be carefully planned and aligned with the slats.

At the second stage, the pillow is covered with film and the main layer of insulation made of polystyrene foam or EPS is laid out.

Next, a perlite concrete screed is poured and waterproofing is applied. Tile tiles are laid on top of the concrete field. The use of floor ceramics in steam rooms and dressing rooms usually causes a lot of controversy. It is believed that in this way some of the heat is lost, and the floor becomes slippery and unsafe.

You need to lay tiles and wooden ladders on top of the insulation in the bathhouse.

In fact, ceramic coating is ideal for a bathhouse; the tiles can be glued in one step throughout the entire bathhouse, and wooden ladders can be laid on top.

As a result, we get additional bonuses:

• Ideal waterproofing and insulation of the bathhouse floor;
• Lack of soil odors and penetration of fungi and bacteria from the ground;
• Cleaning the floor in such a bathhouse is much easier and faster than a purely wooden floor.

If it is necessary to insulate the floor with mineral wool, then a system of logs is assembled above the concrete screed, between which the slabs are laid. A PVC membrane is used as a vapor barrier, followed by a layer with a reflective coating and a finished floor made of wooden floorboards.

One of the options for laying Rockwool for floor insulation in a bathhouse is shown in the video:

Insulation using traditional methods

The simplest folk method is still used today: before taking a steam bath, a large amount of boiling water is poured over the cold floor. The procedure must be carried out until the oven warms up the floorboards, joists and subfloor. The technology is simple, but too troublesome.

For stone baths on a foundation, you can insulate the floor with a mixture of grated and baked clay mixed with chopped reed stalks. To prevent the insulation from getting wet from moisture, the top was covered with larch or oak sawdust.

The most difficult option was to form channels in the underground from clay and rye straw. By passing hot air from the stove, the floor of the bathhouse warmed up and remained warm for 4-5 hours.

Conclusion

There are quite a lot of options for high-quality insulation of the floor in a bathhouse. Even if you simply do the waterproofing and vapor barrier correctly, then after laying the insulation material into the base, the floor of the bathhouse will in any case be warm. Practice will show how durable insulation made “by eye” will be.