Insulation for the base on screw piles. Do-it-yourself technology for insulating a pile foundation using penoplex and expanded polystyrene

Korovin Sergey Dmitrievich

Master of Architecture, graduated from Samara State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. 11 years of experience in design and construction.

Before insulating the pile screw foundation of your own wooden house, it is necessary to study the technology of performing work and necessary materials. The design of the basement in a building performs several functions at once:

• decorative and aesthetic;
• protection of the underground from moisture and wind;
• increase in temperature under house structures.

The last point allows you to get several advantages at once. First of all, this is a reduction in the thickness of the thermal insulation in the ceiling. At the same time, the design pie becomes larger; the height of the premises on the first floor is not eaten up.

The second positive property of insulation is to reduce the consequences of such a phenomenon as frost heaving. Insulation of a pile-screw foundation with wood construction will help partially prevent soil movement in winter.

Is it necessary to insulate

Currently, in the construction industry, much attention is paid to work on insulating walls, basements and other house structures. This is due to the fact that energy resources are limited and their cost is quite high. To improve the energy efficiency of a building, it is necessary to carefully consider insulation.

Options for insulating the basement of a house on a pile foundation

Heating costs can be up to 40% of family budget. And these costs are constant. Knowing the costs of utility bills and the amount of insulation work, you can easily calculate when the measures taken will pay off.

It is also important to remember that a well-insulated structure is protected from condensation. Humidity becomes main reason the appearance of mold and mildew. You can also easily encounter other microorganisms. Insulation pile foundation will preserve the health of the inhabitants of the house, as well as reduce the frequency of repairs and replacements flooring on the first floor.

Insulation options

The plinth cladding can be of several types. The decision which one to use is made based on aesthetic considerations, financial capabilities, and the qualifications of the workers who will perform the finishing.

Insulation of the base can be done in two ways:

1. on a separate tape structure;
2. along the sheathing, which is attached to the piles.

Tape design

The first option is more complicated and also has a number of limitations. A shallow-type tape structure can be made of concrete or brick. Most often she rests on the ground or her small monolithic foundation(more details about the device of shallow strip foundation). But during construction on heaving soils It is strongly recommended not to use this option. Especially if we're talking about about the brick base. In this case, the ground rises (swells) in winter. Moreover, the process occurs unevenly. Having dug out the snow from the plinth structure, at some point you will see inclined cracks, which indicate damage from frost heaving.

This phenomenon can be prevented by eliminating one of the heaving factors:

It is impossible to fulfill the first condition when manufacturing a non-buried tape. The soil under the cladding of the basement of the house will still freeze and deform. Moisture removal may also be ineffective.

It is reasonable to use strip lining only on those soils that are not prone to heaving. Such bases include coarse soils, medium or coarse sand. This option is also suitable for regions with warm climates, where negative temperatures are rare.

The insulation is attached to the brick according to the standard scheme. Penoplex is best suited

The insulation is fixed to a concrete or brick wall, similar to the type of thermal insulation of the external enclosing elements of the building. It can be performed both without an additional frame and with its use. The method depends on the type of finish chosen.

Insulation of the base along the frame

This option for your home will be less expensive and easier. Insulation of the foundation on piles in this case can be done using a variety of materials. Examples include:

• basement siding;
• clinker panels;
• metal profiled sheet.

The choice among options is based on financial capabilities and aesthetic considerations. All options are attached approximately the same. Read a detailed article about finishing the base of a pile-screw foundation. To provide a foundation for cladding the base of the house, it is necessary to provide a frame.

The frame can be made of wood or rolled metal. When facing with metal materials, it is more reasonable to use steel as a lathing.
The frame is usually made of two longitudinal straps. If necessary, a larger number can be provided longitudinal elements. It all depends on the height of the base. It is also possible to provide vertical frame elements. The need for them depends on the chosen material for cladding the basement of the house.

Before insulating the foundation screw piles, it is necessary to provide for attaching the frame to them. The method depends on the material:

• When attaching the cladding to wooden slats and bars, it is necessary to provide metal embedded parts in the upper part of the piles in advance. They can be made from angle iron or other similar types of rolled products. Fastening to the piles is carried out by welding.
• When using steel frame elements, there is no need for preliminary preparation. The metal profile is welded directly to the foundation elements.

To prevent ground moisture and frost heaving from destroying the finishing and thermal insulation, it is worth raising the base above the ground. The damper gap can be from 5 to 15 cm. This distance can be closed with some kind of bar at the final stage.

Vents can be provided in the place indicated on the diagram or in the gap between the cladding and the blind area

The insulation for the basement of the house is attached to the same frame as the trim. Depending on the type chosen, a number of additional measures will have to be carried out.

When insulating, it is important not to forget about underground ventilation. For this purpose, special holes or vents are provided in the finishing design. According to the standards, their total area should be equal to 1/400 of the underground area. The gap between the ground and the skin can also serve for ventilation. To do this, it is covered with a special mesh that prevents the penetration of rodents and insects, but does not impede the movement of air.

How to choose insulation for the basement of a house

For structures that are close to the ground, it is not recommended to use mineral wool. It is highly hygroscopic, and when wet it ceases to perform its direct functions. Also, cotton wool can sag easily. It is not so easy to attach it to the frame using screw piles.

Insulation of foundations on screw piles is best done using materials such as:

• Extruded polystyrene foam or Penoplex. The material has good thermal insulation properties and is resistant to moisture. In most cases, when using it there is no need to apply thermal insulation. This option is more expensive than mineral wool or polystyrene foam, but will be the most affordable of all.
• Liquid penoizol, which is distributed by spraying. Helps simplify the process of attaching insulation.
• Foamed glass, which is produced in blocks.

Penoplex can be attached either to the sheathing or to a solid base. The second option allows you to simultaneously use glue and fasteners, guaranteeing greater reliability. The base can be sheets of plywood that are mounted on the sheathing.

Another option is to attach Penoplex to the frame with DSP cladding and subsequent finishing
On heaving soils, it is also recommended to insulate the blind area - this will prevent the piles from “bulging” from the ground in winter

Read more about this in a special article about insulating blind areas.

It is not recommended to use polystyrene foam for insulation. This material is able to accumulate moisture between styrene balls. This phenomenon leads to the fact that at low temperatures the foam crumbles into separate particles. The phenomenon is caused by high pressure of freezing moisture on the material balls.

Source: domzastroika.ru

Do-it-yourself technology for insulating a pile foundation using penoplex and expanded polystyrene

A special feature of pile foundations is their ability to provide reliable and durable support for construction in the most problematic and difficult conditions.

Thanks to the pile system, the foundation is based not on unstable surface layers, often waterlogged or subject to periodic influxes of soil water, but on dense deep layers.

Achieves high mechanical strength of the support, independence from the level of occurrence groundwater.

The disadvantage of structures of this type is the impossibility of insulating the underground part of the foundation, in particular piles.

This creates favorable conditions for the formation of condensation in external areas, which contributes to the destruction and corrosion of materials.

Let's consider available options solutions to this problem.

Is it necessary to insulate a pile foundation?

Insulation building structures is produced for the sole purpose of stopping the formation of condensation. The prevailing opinion among most people that houses are insulated to reduce heat loss is wrong.

The main problem is wetting of walls and ceilings, rotting of wooden parts, and corrosion of metal elements. The process does not bypass concrete - it is saturated with water, resulting in the formation of fungus or mold.

Sooner or later, the moisture freezes and, expanding, “explodes” concrete structures from the inside, which is dangerous for the condition of the entire building.

Therefore, it is pointless to talk about the benefits or expediency of insulation - this is an absolutely necessary procedure that allows you to normalize the indoor microclimate, prevent the destruction of materials, and extend the service life of the building.

However, there are often situations when, instead of insulation, it is necessary to install a cutoff that stops the contact of the foundation with warm internal air.

Therefore, before deciding to install a heat insulator, you should carefully analyze physical essence current processes and determine how effective insulation is in this case, or whether other actions are required.

Insulation methods

There are two methods of insulation:

The essence of the method is to install a false base that blocks the possibility of outside air penetrating into the gap between the ground and the grillage.

There are two options:

• The base itself is well insulated, the internal atmosphere and the underground space of the house communicate, as a result of which the latter maintains a fairly high temperature. This method is suitable for owners of houses on metal (screw) piles and in the presence of a technical underground with communications input. It becomes possible to periodically service the metal parts of the foundation and communication input fittings, and the danger of pipeline freezing disappears.
• The underground space is completely filled with a heat insulator. Expanded clay is usually used, which does not rot and is not susceptible to external influences. The only problem with the material is that when wet it takes a very long time to dry, so it is necessary to ensure reliable waterproofing of the base. This option is good for reinforced concrete (driven or bored) foundations that do not require regular maintenance. Continuous backfill allows for greater savings on heating costs and prevents the first floor from getting wet.

Ceilings (floors)

Floor insulation is carried out in cases where there is no need to increase the temperature of the subfloor. There are no open water pipelines, heating lines or other components that require operating temperatures.

In such cases, the installation of a false base is carried out only for decorative purposes and as a barrier to precipitation and snow. A hermetic cutoff from internal air is created, and a gap filled with a heat insulator is formed between it and the subfloor.

As an option, a layer of insulation is laid, after which a screed with a heated floor system is poured. As a result, effective heat saving of the ceiling and complete absence of condensation in the subfloor is ensured.

If necessary, it remains possible to periodically penetrate it and service metal parts (apply an anti-corrosion coating).

All common materials can be used as heat insulators, but, taking into account the specifics, the use of moisture-permeable types (mineral wool, ecowool, etc.) should be abandoned.

The best choice would be:

• Styrofoam. The correct name of the material is granulated polystyrene foam. It is the leader among thermal insulators due to the lowest price. This is a lightweight material produced in the form of slabs of various thicknesses. It practically does not interact with water, does not rot, retains heat well, and is easy to cut and process. Polystyrene foam granules contain carbon dioxide, so it does not support combustion.
• Penoplex. This material is called extruded polystyrene foam. It is a close relative of foam plastic, but is made using a different technology and is a continuous mass of frozen foam, rather than individual granules glued together. In all respects, it is slightly superior to foam, but has a higher price, so the demand for it is slightly lower.
• Liquid polyurethane foam. A material that allows you to insulate complex, curved and highly fragmented surfaces. It is applied by spraying, which requires special equipment. As a result, a sealed layer of insulation appears, absolutely resistant to water or biological manifestations, and reacts little to temperature changes. The only limiting factor is the relatively high price and the need to use special equipment.

DIY insulation technology

To insulate a pile foundation, it is necessary to perform a number of procedures that should be considered separately:

Construction of the basement

Typically, a false plinth (or, as it is commonly called, a fence) is a strip of sheet materials installed on a sheathing of bars.

This option is not suitable for high-quality insulation, since it is necessary to provide not only a supporting structure for the heat insulator, but also to form a strong and reliable cutoff for water.

Therefore, it is necessary first of all to build a brick plinth and a high-quality blind area, equipped with a thermal breaking strip.

This approach will completely eliminate soil wetting in the area of ​​the pile field and create conditions for the full functioning of the heat insulator.

Insulation with decorative panels

Decorative panels are sheets of basement siding glued to sheets of thermal insulation (most often, penoplex). Installation of such panels allows you to combine decorative finishing and insulation in one procedure, which significantly saves time.

At the same time, the cost of purchasing panels significantly exceeds the cost of purchasing conventional heat insulators, and the quality of insulation is not the best. This option can be used in regions with relatively mild winters.

The foam is installed from the inside of the base. The sheets are fastened using a tile adhesive solution; dowels with wide plastic washers are additionally used.

Installation is carried out as tightly as possible, without cracks or gaps. All detected gaps are immediately filled with polyurethane foam.. The effectiveness of insulation depends on the thickness of the foam.

In practice, the most successful slab size is considered to be 50 mm, but in regions with frosty winters, thicker sheets can be used.

Installing penoplex is practically no different from the technique of installing polystyrene foam. The same materials and methods are used, the thickness of the penoplex is chosen based on the same considerations.

The efficiency of the material is slightly higher, but the main advantage is strength.

Penoplex does not crumble, as is typical for polystyrene foam. Installation of a heat insulator in difficult conditions occurs faster and with less losses.

Liquid polyurethane foam

This material is applied externally using special equipment. At the same time, you can create a completely sealed layer of any thickness.

In this case there are no cracks or gaps; the formed layer is absolutely sealed.

The material is convenient for insulating uneven surfaces with a lot of protruding elements. Due to its high price, it has not yet become widespread, but users who have used this type of insulator highly appreciate its performance qualities.

How to insulate a floor

Floor insulation is done in several ways:

• Creating a backfill layer of insulation between the bottom flooring and the subfloor.
• Continuous backfilling of the underground with arrangement of the floor on the ground.
• Construction of a deck with insulation and pouring of a heated floor system.

The choice of the optimal option is made based on existing conditions, configuration and availability of communications in the underground. The most common options include creating a layer of insulation between the bottom and subfloor and pouring a heated floor system.

The procedure in both options starts the same:

• Logs are installed. They must ensure the immobility and strength of the floor; ideally, they rest on the surface of the piles.
• Planks are attached to the lower edges of the joists, which will serve as edges for laying flooring boards.
• The plank flooring is being laid. Edged boards are used, laid transversely between the joists.
• A heat insulator is laid on top of the boards. You can use polystyrene foam, penoplex. If the thickness is sufficient, expanded clay is used, but for effective service a layer of at least 30 cm is required, which is not always possible.
• A layer of waterproofing is laid.

After this, either subfloor materials are laid and the finishing coating is laid, or underfloor heating pipes are laid, all connections are made, functionality is checked, and then a layer of screed is poured (about 10 cm).

This option is gaining more and more supporters, as it allows you to heat the room economically and efficiently.

Thermal insulation of a wooden house

Depending on the height of the piles (and base), three insulation options are used:

• External insulation of the base, made around the entire perimeter.
• Internal floor insulation.
• Full insulation, performed both on the base and on the ceiling.

Wooden houses have higher heat-saving properties, so it is impossible to clearly name the most effective option. It is necessary to proceed from climate conditions, the amount of snow cover, structural features and other factors.

Thermal insulation technology for pile-screw foundations

To insulate a pile-screw foundation, it is necessary to proceed from the following requirements:

• It is necessary to ensure high-quality cutoff from moisture getting under the house.
• For periodic maintenance of piles and grillage, it is necessary to create access to the underground.
• High-quality thermal insulation should be ensured.

Pile-screw foundations usually have a wooden, less often a metal grillage. The simplest method of insulation is to install the sheathing along the pick-up line (false base), install penoplex slabs attached directly to it and install an outer layer of flat asbestos-cement slabs.

Useful video

In this video you will learn how to properly insulate a pile foundation:

Conclusion

Insulation of pile foundation elements is carried out based on the design features, material and other properties of the foundation. In each specific case, it is necessary to consider the situation from the point of view of the physical processes occurring in the foundation nodes and on its external elements.

Often it is more correct to limit insulation to the cutoff of the ground floor (zero level) in order to reduce heat loss inside the house and at the same time provide ventilation and free access to the supporting structure.

In other cases, other measures are necessary to achieve maximum effect. But in any situation, first of all, you should find out whether there is an urgent need to install a heat insulator, whether this action will have positive results.

Otherwise, instead of a beneficial effect, only a waste of time and materials will be produced.

Source: expert-dacha.pro

How to insulate a foundation on screw piles

Insulation of foundations on screw piles

A feature of a pile-screw foundation is the formation of a free, unheated space between the floor and the surface of the earth. Consequently, there is a need to insulate the base, which can be done in different ways and materials.

The need to insulate a pile-screw foundation

Thermal insulation of the screw base must be done; there are a number of good reasons for this:

• Firstly, the floor in the house will be warmer.
• Secondly, communications running under the floor will be protected from freezing.
• Thirdly, the fence will prevent precipitation from getting under the building.
• Fourthly, wooden house with an equipped base it has a more attractive and complete appearance.

Materials for insulating screw foundations

It is quite possible to perform thermal insulation of a foundation on screw piles with your own hands, the main thing is to choose the right material. Thanks to the wide range of products for thermal insulation, problems with choosing insulation for the base should not arise.

From the wide variety of thermal insulation materials to protect a screw foundation, it is recommended to choose the following options:

• Liquid polyurethane foam. To use this material, you need to create a sheathing, placing the boards very close to avoid gaps. Thermal insulation is applied by spraying from cylinders using special equipment. When the foam hardens, a continuous coating is formed on the surface that does not form cold bridges.
• Extruded polystyrene foam. The material is characterized by high thermal insulation properties, good resistance to moisture and reasonable cost. The combination of these characteristics gives EPS a great advantage over other options for thermal insulation materials. The insulation can be attached to a sparse sheathing or a solid base.
• Facade thermal panels. This option can be called the most profitable of all modern materials that can be used to insulate the screw foundation of a wooden house. The advantage of thermal panels lies in the combination of thermal insulation and finishing material, however, due to this, the cost of this type of insulation increases.
• Foam glass blocks.
• Brickwork is one of the effective and at the same time expensive options (read more about brick foundations). If you are laying with ordinary brick, you will need additional cladding of the base. Using facing bricks allows you to avoid the finishing stage and slightly reduce costs. However, it should be understood that a pile foundation is most often built on weak, unstable soils, which can cause destruction of the brickwork.

Materials for foundation insulation

It is not recommended to use foam plastic for thermal insulation of a screw foundation of a wooden house. The structure of the material promotes the accumulation of moisture between the styrene balls, which, when freezing, puts high pressure on the particles of the material. This causes the destruction of the foam at low air temperatures.

Do-it-yourself insulation of a screw foundation

The technology for thermal insulation of a screw foundation of a wooden house depends on the chosen insulation, so several options should be considered. If you want to understand this issue, then study our material on the topic: how to make a foundation on screw piles.

Insulated brick base

This option for thermal insulation of a screw foundation is the most labor-intensive, although in this case the most reliable and durable structure is obtained (learn more about insulating the foundation base).

The insulation technology is as follows:

1. Under the grillage, along the perimeter of a wooden house, they dig a trench with a width slightly larger than the size of a brick and a depth of up to 30 cm. The bottom of the trench is compacted and filled with concrete mortar (we have previously looked at the proportions of concrete for the foundation in buckets). Additionally, to strengthen the base, you can lay several reinforcement rods with a diameter of 10-12 mm. The structure is left until the concrete has completely hardened. The result is a kind of foundation for a brick base.
2. After the concrete has gained the required strength, they begin laying the bricks. The construction of a brick plinth is carried out in small sections. In this case, you can additionally insulate the inner wall of the base.
3. The final stage is the decorative finishing of the brick plinth. For this purpose, various materials can be used that simultaneously decorate and protect the free space between the supports of the screw foundation.

Insulation of a screw foundation using decorative panels

Installing panels is much easier than making brickwork, however, despite the simple work, proper arrangement allows you to obtain a reliable and durable structure. Before starting work, it will be useful to read how to cladding the basement of a house.

Thermal insulation of the screw foundation of a wooden house using decorative panels is carried out according to a certain scheme:

Waterproofing of piles

At the first stage, the foundation screw supports are waterproofed. Regardless of the material of manufacture, all piles need protection, in particular we are talking about protection from the aggressive effects of moisture. For metal screw piles, a special primer or bitumen mastic is used; in any case, the protective agent is applied to all open areas of the structure. The waterproofing layer must dry completely, for this it is enough to wait about a week.

Making a blind area

Further actions involve making a blind area around the perimeter of a wooden house (find out more information on how to properly make a blind area). In this case, the lower part of the false base will touch the blind area, and not the freezing soil. The arrangement of the blind area is carried out as follows:

1. Along the perimeter of the building, soil is removed to a depth of 0.4 meters; the width of the recess can reach 1 meter.
2. A layer of sand approximately 0.2 meters high is poured onto the bottom of the trench and compacted thoroughly.
3. The next layer is crushed stone, its height can be about 5 cm. Crushed stone is also well leveled and compacted.
4. Next, waterproofing material and thermal insulation are laid.
5. Drainage is installed along the outer edge of the blind area.
6. Work on this structure will continue after the basement part of the foundation is insulated.

Manufacturing of sheathing

Next, you need to create a supporting structure onto which the decorative panel will later be attached. To do this, metal guides are welded to the shafts of the screw supports, which are first protected from moisture. The number of profiles depends on the height of the screw foundation, but in most cases their number is limited to three. Wooden blocks pre-treated with antiseptic compounds can be used as frame guides. To attach wooden elements to the piles, metal plates with holes for bolts are welded.

Lathing for screw foundation

At the next stage, a small groove is made along the perimeter of the frame, removing about 10 cm of soil. More than half of the resulting depression is filled with expanded clay sand, the low thermal conductivity of which will prevent freezing of the suspended structure in the cold season.

Next, slabs of suitable thermal insulation material are installed and fixed. Most often, consumers prefer penoplex or extruded polystyrene foam. The thickness of the insulation is selected so that the material does not protrude beyond the grillage. Otherwise, attaching the decorative panel may cause some difficulties. Installation of the thermal insulation layer depends on the type of insulation.

Now you need to fill the blind area concrete mixture and wait until it hardens completely.

The next step is the installation of the decorative panel. Its upper edge should be glued to the grillage using a special adhesive composition for reliable fixation. The lower part should be immersed in a groove with a layer of expanded clay sand.

In the finished installation of the screw foundation of a wooden house in mandatory make ventilation holes that will provide an appropriate level of humidity in the space under the house on a screw foundation. In this case, the risk of mold and rot formation is reduced, therefore, the service life of the entire structure increases.

Do not forget about additional structural elements, so the installation of ebbs and corners is completed.

Decorative panels for the foundation

The process of insulating the screw foundation of a wooden house is not particularly difficult. The main condition is to follow the recommendations of experienced builders. At correct installation frame and the location of the thermal insulation material, you can independently make a reliable and durable structure.

Source: stroykarecept.ru

All aspects of thermal insulation of a pile-screw foundation

Foundations of this type are excellent for the construction of buildings on heaving, mountainous soils, slopes and in harsh climatic conditions. But the gap left between the soil and the floor of the house becomes a bridge of cold, which is why heat loss increases in winter. The solution to this problem is to insulate the pile foundation at the construction stage of the structure. We will look at the nuances of this process in this article.

The need for insulation

There are several significant reasons for this:

The main advantages of thermal insulation

It is worth highlighting several important advantages of such protection:

Insulated piles are an economical type of foundation on heaving, swampy soil, in places with difficult terrain.

Their screws reach a level below freezing, so seasonal ground movements are not dangerous for the building as a whole. And such a foundation can be erected regardless of the time of year and weather.

What types of insulation are best to use?

The greatest efficiency is achieved with comprehensive insulation both inside and outside the base.

Suitable types include:

The latter type is often chosen due to its low price, but the service life of such thermal insulation material is limited. Polystyrene foam has low strength, is not resistant to moisture, and is interesting to rodents.

To reliably insulate the foundation of a wooden house, you need to use penoplex. It has a thermal conductivity of 0.029 W/mK. This material is not afraid of moisture, rodents, and is durable. Its only drawback is the high price. For a detailed description of the sequence of work, read the article: “Technology for insulating the foundation with penoplex.”

Mineral wool, namely basalt or stone, is not inferior in characteristics. However, a waterproofing layer must be laid under such insulation.

Read more about other types of insulation, their technical characteristics, pros and cons: “How to insulate the foundation of a house from the outside.”

Photo: thermal insulation of the internal space of the base of the house

The thickness of the insulating material is selected based on the results of thermal engineering calculations and analysis of the climatic characteristics of the region.

Don't forget about waterproofing

Before you begin laying waterproofing material, it is necessary to treat all exposed wood or metal areas of the foundation. Antiseptic impregnation is applied to the wood, and the metal is coated with a primer. Drying time - up to 7 days. This is necessary to prevent the destruction of the material under the influence of moisture.

Waterproofing is also carried out for the same purpose. An inexpensive option is roofing felt, which is laid at the junction of the ends of the piles with the grillage, on the upper sides of the grillage and areas in contact with the wall.

We analyze the insulation technology step by step

Taking into account the installation height and material of the screw piles, the type of soil and the location of the building, thermal insulation can be carried out using several methods:

1. Outside around the perimeter of the house. It consists of constructing a false base from the ground level to the beginning of the walls. After which it is isolated and trimmed accessible ways. This is an economical option for a low screw base.
2. External floor insulation. It is carried out in the case where it is not possible to implement the first type due to the terrain or high foundation.
3. Comprehensive insulation inside and outside. Recognized as the most effective method.

How to insulate a foundation on screw piles yourself

In any home, the main condition for a comfortable microclimate is a warm floor. The main negative feature of the foundation is the presence of space under the floor, which leads to the entry of cold from below. Considering the rise of warm air upward, it is necessary to insulate the foundation of the house, high-quality insulation of the basement in order to protect the house from the influx of cold air through insufficiently insulated floors and the basement.

Insulation of foundations made of piles with mineral wool

Since the insulation (for example, mineral wool) will come into contact with the ground, you should choose insulation for the foundation using screw piles, which is not afraid of moisture and in which rodents will not grow. There is also a need to create a structure (frame) to replace the missing base of the house and its subsequent insulation with mineral wool or penoplex. Therefore, work is carried out outside and inside.

If you choose mineral wool, it should be carefully protected from moisture with a layer of waterproofing. When using inexpensive polystyrene foam, the insulation should be additionally protected from rodents. When insulating a foundation made of screw piles (screw pile foundation) with penoplex, this additional work is not necessary, since penoplex is not afraid of moisture, rodents will not settle in it, and it is also much stronger than foam plastic.

Which insulation to choose for a pile-screw foundation

Method of attaching penoplex from the outside and subsequent installation of DSP boards.

Now you need to select a material for insulating the base of a pile-screw foundation. A lot of moisture comes from the ground, which means you need to choose a type of insulation that is not afraid of water and does not lose its thermal insulation characteristics, even when wet. It should be taken into account that the thermal insulation will be in contact with the ground and perform its tasks in quite extreme conditions. It is also easier to insulate the foundation on screw piles sheet material with high density or liquid thermal insulation.

Therefore, you need to choose among the following materials:

• Styrofoam;
• extruded polystyrene foam;

The thermal conductivity of polystyrene foam and extruded polystyrene foam is 0.032 W/m*C. Penoizol has approximately the same characteristics, only, unlike polystyrene foam, it allows steam to pass through. None of the above materials allow moisture to pass through. From mineral wool, even from
, it's better to refuse. The latter, although resistant to moisture, is still not as resistant as polymers. In addition, installation will be quite difficult.

Pile foundation insulation technology

The entire process of insulating a screw pile foundation for a wooden house can be divided into the following work:

• performing waterproofing;
• construction of a frame mesh for the base;
• installation of insulation on the frame;
• external finishing with insulation;
• internal insulation of the foundation.

Performing waterproofing

Regardless of what material the piles are made of, they require proper protection. If the installation of waterproofing under the insulation layer depends on the selected material, then the main structures of the foundation must be protected from the aggressive action of moisture.

Metal piles are coated with a primer, wooden piles are impregnated with special antiseptics

It is important to carefully treat all exposed surfaces to prevent early destruction.

Construction of a frame mesh for the plinth

The frame mesh is made of wood or metal. These structures also need to be protected from moisture.

The operating principle is simple. A sheathing is created for the selected insulation so that the cells are smaller than the insulation boards. This will make it possible to attach the insulation to the frame.

An improvised basement is being built throughout the outside of the house, which will retain heat inside. For strength, the metal frame is welded and sunk slightly into the ground.

It is necessary to ensure the strength of the structure so that it can withstand significant wind loads and not collapse in bad weather. To further strengthen the frame, concrete is sometimes poured onto the base of the frame around the perimeter of the building.

The second version of the base is built of brick. The process is more labor-intensive, but the result is a truly durable structure that you don’t have to worry about during operation.

We insulate the pile foundation with brickwork

You definitely need to build your own for such a base. Then half a brick is laid, followed by insulation.

Installation of insulation on the frame

If the frame is built correctly, installing the insulation will not cause problems. The insulation boards are laid and pressed tightly against the frame. Additional fastening can be done using retaining bolts.

All resulting joints should be carefully sealed. Polyurethane foam is well suited for this.

If you use a material that is afraid of moisture, it is necessary to apply a layer of waterproofing. This will protect the insulation from rodent attacks.

In this regard, it is not recommended to use polystyrene foam, which is a favorite material for mice and rats. Over time, they find how to get into this warm place and create entire labyrinths there, weakening the effect and effectiveness of the insulation.

External finishing with insulation

Any available façade system is suitable for exterior finishing. Most often, siding or decorative PVC panels are used that imitate brick or natural stone.

Basement siding "burnt brick"

You can also choose external protective panels that look like wood. This will make a wooden house stylish.

Installation of any external system is carried out taking into account the requirements specified by manufacturers. Work should start from the very bottom, installing the guide profile. Then the rest of the planks are laid on it, which are closed with a snap.

When choosing exterior finishing, you need to look for not only a beautiful material, but also one that is sufficiently durable and moisture-resistant.

Internal insulation of a pile-screw foundation

The internal part of the foundation is insulated using expanded clay bedding. It is necessary to dig a small trench near the piles along the entire perimeter of the house, fill it with expanded clay and, if possible, pour a small layer of concrete on top to prevent contamination of this strip of insulation with soil and plant impurities, which over time destroy the effect of using expanded clay.

It is important to make ventilation holes in the formed base that will ventilate the subfloor. This will prevent the appearance of fungus, rot and early destruction of structures.

The holes must be covered with a grill to prevent rodents and other pests from getting inside. In winter, the ventilation is usually completely closed. In some cases, additional care must be taken to install hoods to prevent the appearance of moisture in the underground.

Grillage

As we have already said, a grillage is a tape connecting the piles. The grillage can be:

• Metal,
• Concrete.

In a pile foundation there is a grillage, this is, in fact, part of the floor, which means it needs to be insulated along with the floor, both from the inside and the outside. But waterproofing is carried out during the construction stage. Roofing felt, mastic, or liquid rubber is sprayed onto the grillage. If this is done before the construction stage, dampness in the house can be significantly avoided.

However, the real insulation of a pile-screw foundation is still ahead, because it means insulating the floor outside and the decorative base.

Which insulation to choose

The insulation is installed only after the construction of the base. The effectiveness of insulation depends on the correct technological sequence of work

It is important to insulate the pile foundation both outside and inside.

The thickness of the insulation and its type are assigned after a thermal engineering calculation, which will show the conditions and intensity of cold penetration through the foundation structure.

Most often, mineral wool is used as insulation. When choosing this material, it is necessary to provide an underlying layer for waterproofing.

Rolled waterproofing, for example, roofing felt, is quite suitable. More advanced insulation can be installed without waterproofing.

If you choose a material that is not afraid of moisture and rodent attacks, for example, penoplex, you can significantly reduce the time and cost of installing additional layers. However, penoplex is an expensive material, although it lasts a long time.

Penoplex

It is better not to use polystyrene foam. It has fairly low strength and, given the operating conditions, such insulation will not last long. This will entail additional expenses for repairs.

Work on the base of a pile-screw foundation. Part 2 insulation

When building a house on screw piles, an unheated area is formed under the floor of the first floor.

Therefore, insulating the foundation on screw piles is an important and necessary process, which is carried out in several ways, based on the type of structure and material of the base.

With the help of an insulated base, an optimal microclimate in the room is ensured, and energy costs are also significantly reduced.

Thermal protection technology is a simple process that can be done independently.

To know how to insulate a foundation on screw piles, it is important to study the technological process and follow some recommendations

Features of insulation

When wondering whether it is necessary to insulate a structure of this type, it is worth considering a number of problems that may arise if the work is refused:

• Freezing of water supply and sewerage pipes located under the building;
• sweeping snow, which melts underground in the spring and forms dampness, which will lead to mold;
• strong cooling of the floor due to constant drafts.

To make your stay more cozy and comfortable, it is important to provide thermal protection, which will help eliminate the above problems. What to know, how to close the foundation, it is recommended to follow the instructions below

Insulation methods

The foundation of a wooden house is insulated with the following options:

1. Insulation of the base from the outside along the entire length. First, the plinth frame is constructed from the ground to the base of the walls, then the screw foundation is insulated.
2. Lining the base with insulation from the inside. Thermal insulation is performed on the outside of the floor.
3. Continuous insulation of the wooden floor of the first floor.

Before insulation, a number of specific features of the structure are taken into account, including the location, height of the pile pillars and the material used.

Process technology

The work is performed in the following sequence:

• Arrangement of a brick plinth or installation on a frame with cladding.
• External or internal insulation of the base.

It is important to have ventilation ducts, functional purpose which is constant ventilation of the ceiling

Material used

To insulate a pile-screw structure, polystyrene foam is often used due to its high thermal insulation and sound insulation. The thermal protection technology provided by panel ceilings using this material is produced as follows:

1. Elimination of cracks from the surface, treatment with a primer mixture for reliable fixation of insulation sheets.
2. Then you need to sew up the sheets from the inside, using adhesive or foam glue.
3. Carefully “foaming” the joints of the sheets.
4. In order to ensure better insulation, the panels are glued in several layers.
5. Installation of a metal mesh that will protect the material from various rodents.

If you don’t know how to cover the area under the house to prevent the possibility of blowing, you can pour soil or expanded clay under the insulated base. In addition, foundation insulation with penoplex, foam glass, polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam is widely known.

Experienced experts advise following some recommendations on how to properly insulate the base:

• upon completion of the insulation work, it is advisable to wait at least 7 days and only then begin installation of waterproofing;
• equip ventilation with a hole distance of 1.5-2 m;
• in order to protect the structure from permitting, the pile supports of the insulated foundation should not be moved or unscrewed;
• to increase the level of strength and reliability of the base, you need to additionally seal a layer of reinforcing mesh;
• if the work is carried out properly, the space in the middle of the SVF can be used for your own needs;
• work on cladding a pile-screw foundation must be carried out in strict compliance with technology.

When wondering how to insulate a pile-screw foundation, an experienced builder will answer that strengthening the foundation through thermal insulation is a simple procedure that everyone can do. There is no need to use specialized equipment or learn special skills.

The disadvantage of such a foundation– cold floor due to the large open space under the house and soil. The only solution to this problem will be to insulate the pile foundation, which will not only provide a warmer house, but also additional space under the house for household needs.

How to insulate a pile-screw foundation?

Before insulating a foundation on screw piles, it is worth considering a number of features of the building, its location, the height of the pile pillars above the ground and the material from which they are made. Based on these conditions, insulation can be done in several ways:

1. External around the perimeter of the house.

It consists of erecting a base frame from the ground to the beginning of the walls of the house along the entire perimeter. Then, depending on the climate and financial capabilities of the owners, it is insulated and faced from the outside. This method is the only correct one if the floor is low from the ground.

2. External from the floor.

In some cases, when it is not possible to insulate the foundation using the first method (the floor is very high from the ground level due to the location), only the outer side of the floor is insulated.

3. Complete.

This is an ideal method and involves insulating the foundation frame both outside and inside. This method of insulation can be divided into several stages:

• waterproofing work on the grillage and the metal piles themselves;
• construction of the base frame;
• installation of insulation inside the base;
• securing decorative panels to the base;
• insulation of the inside of the base with expanded clay or soil;
• insulation of the floor from the basement side.

Waterproofing works

Waterproofing works carried out in order to prevent moisture from entering the joints of the grillage and piles. If this is not done, then metal elements structures will corrode over time, and wooden structures will rot, which will lead to the destruction of the entire house. To do this, a waterproofing material, for example roofing felt, is placed at the junction of the ends of the piles with the grillage and on the upper edges of the grillage itself at the point of contact with the wall.

Then a special mastic is applied to the entire metal structure of the foundation, and the wood is treated with impregnation with antiseptics. After the mastic and impregnation have completely dried (about 6-7 days), you can proceed directly to insulating the pile foundation.

Insulation

Base of a pile-screw foundation

The base frame can be erected and insulated at the same time two ways:

1. Construction of a brick wall.

For such a base, a small, shallow reinforced foundation from cement mortar, which in itself will be an additional insulation of the base. After the foundation has completely dried, a light wall of half a brick is laid out.

2. Installing metal guides for fastening decorative panels.

Metal guides are bolted or welded onto the foundation piles, onto which decorative panels, siding or corrugated sheeting are then hung. The panels are also secured with special fasteners or tile adhesive, depending on the design and material of the panels. Elements and drips covering the panel joints are installed in the corners.

For any insulation method Don't forget about the ventilation holes, which will prevent the accumulation of moisture inside the foundation space. It is recommended to place the holes on opposite sides of the base.

Expanded polystyrene

Extruded polystyrene foam, due to its heat-insulating and noise-absorbing characteristics, is most preferable for insulating various foundations, especially pile foundations. And the small thickness of the sheet (3 cm) allows you to save internal space ground floor.

Insulation of a pile foundation with polystyrene foam is carried out as follows:

• On the surface of the basement wall, if it is a brick wall or concrete, all cracks are eliminated. After this, the wall is treated with a primer to better secure the insulation sheets.
• The polystyrene foam sheets are glued from the inside of the basement wall using foam glue or an adhesive composition. When using adhesive foam, polystyrene foam is temporarily fixed with special umbrellas to prevent deformation of the sheet when the foam swells.
• The joints of the sheets are carefully foamed to eliminate cold “bridges.”
• For better insulation of the foundation, the sheets are glued in two layers.
• To protect polystyrene foam sheets from mice and rats, a special metal mesh is installed on them.
• To completely eliminate the possibility of blowing out the space under the house, it is advisable to add a little expanded clay or soil to the inside of the insulated base.

Paula

Insulation of the floor on a pile foundation directly under the house inside the basement space produced in several stages:

• a vapor barrier material is fixed to the floor on the outside of the house over the entire area;
• Insulation, for example, polystyrene foam, is installed on the vapor barrier;
• the insulation is covered with plank sheathing.

This floor can be used both as a finished basement ceiling and as the only option for insulating a pile-screw foundation if it is impossible to use other methods.

Thus, by thoroughly insulating the pile-grillage foundation, you will finally eliminate the problem of cold floors and significantly save on heating. Correct adherence to the stages of work and careful installation of insulation will help significantly increase the reliability and durability of your home.

Any owner of a site, when planning to build his own house, tries to minimize as much as possible general estimate expenses. Fortunately, the abundance of modern technological developments makes it possible to choose the least expensive approaches to construction, naturally, without losing the performance qualities of the future building.

One of the most material-intensive, expensive, and time-consuming stages of construction was usually considered to be the construction of the foundation of a house. However, for many types of residential and ancillary buildings, pouring a strip or monolithic slab base is not required at all. It is enough to confine yourself to installing piles, which are tied on top with a grillage - this will become a reliable basis for raising the walls. This approach is good for everyone, but very often the house, especially with very uneven terrain, turns out to be “floating in the air,” that is, below the floors of the first floor there is a space blown by all the winds. It’s okay - you need to do it correctly, and the building, even outwardly, will not differ at all from those buildings that are installed on a “classical” concrete base.

A few words about the pile-screw foundation

The pile-screw foundation has a number of significant advantages.

• First of all, it becomes the most profitable solution if the house is being built on unstable, waterlogged soils that tend to swell in winter. The lower screw part of the pile reaches depths below the freezing level, stable layers of soil, and seasonal fluctuations in the surface do not have any negative impact on the constructed house.
• Such a foundation is the most economical and easiest to construct when building houses on sites with rugged terrain - achieving horizontal bottom trim with this approach is the easiest way.
• The construction of a pile-screw foundation is less dependent than others on the season and weather - construction can be carried out at any time of the year.
• In terms of construction time, such a foundation also has no equal.
• The technology for its arrangement is quite simple and, subject to certain conditions, can be implemented on its own.
• From a cost point of view, the construction of a pile foundation is the most economical.

The foundation on screw piles is becoming increasingly popular when constructing support foundations in problematic soils (heaving and deeply frozen soils; high level groundwater at the construction site). Houses on screw piles can last a long time, but a distinctive feature of pile-type foundations is the reduced thermal insulation characteristics of the building being built.

To improve the thermal insulation of a pile foundation, it is necessary to install a basement fence that reliably isolates the space between the building and the soil.

Base insulation: technology and methods of work

The open space between the soil surface and the grillage significantly worsens the technical characteristics of the premises of the first floor of a house on stilts: there is a significant drop in temperature in winter; cold air masses contribute to the occurrence of drafts and condensation on the structures of a residential building, increasing the cost of heating the building.

Base construction technology

According to the technology for performing work on insulation of pile-screw foundations, first you should build a base, and then begin to perform insulation using any of the existing methods.

The construction of the basement of a house built on a pile-screw foundation can be done in certain ways:

• First, you need to lay the walls covering a row of mounted screw piles, the height from the line of the existing blind area to the lower belt of the house.
• Arrange a fence (false base) on a frame base with external cladding.

Laying the plinth belt

Only red is used for laying the plinth ceramic brick, which is most resistant to high humidity.

The masonry is done in half a brick; first you need to prepare the foundation, for which you dig a trench around the perimeter of the building of the following dimensions:

• Depth – 0.30 m.
• Width – 0.250 m.

The bottom of the trench is carefully leveled, the excavation is filled with coarse sand to a height of approximately 0.10 m, after which the sand mixture is compacted with periodic wetting. A narrow reinforcement frame (mesh) of longitudinal and transverse rods is laid on a carefully compacted base, after which the structure is filled with concrete mixture.

It is important to complete concrete work in 1 day, which will ensure the strength of the structure without the formation of rough seams.

After the concrete mortar has completely hardened and gained sufficient strength, the construction of brick walls begins.

Pickup: building it right

The installation on a pile-screw foundation is arranged as follows: first, metal rods are welded to the pile heads, which will serve as guides for fastening the panels. The next stage of work is welding the vertical strips of the fence frame. Then the foundation cladding panels are attached to the planks. It is very important to ensure that the lower edge of the facing panels does not come into contact with the ground surface. Coarse sand is poured under the lower edge, and a slope away from the house is provided to drain rain and snow water.

The foundation of a house on stilts should be protected by laying rolled waterproofing along the backfill, and when gluing the protective rolled carpet, it should have a lower outlet, which is inserted into the sand bedding and then covered with a laid blind area.

Methods

Houses on screw piles necessarily require reliable insulation of the foundation. To ensure a comfortable microclimate inside a building on screw piles, it is necessary to perform a number of technological operations that help improve the heat-saving characteristics of the screw-pile foundation.

Insulation of a pile foundation made of screw piles can be done in the following ways:

• Thermal protection device for the base along the outer perimeter of the building.
• Internal insulation of the basement of a building on a foundation made of screw piles around the perimeter.
• Insulation of ground floor floor structures.

External base insulation technology

If it is necessary to insulate the base from the outside, proceed as follows:

External brick walls leveled, treated with a deep penetration primer for better adhesion to the insulation.

For insulation, slab materials are used, the best of which are polystyrene foam and penoplex. Penoplex, unlike conventional polystyrene foam, has increased technical characteristics for resistance to excessive moisture. The material is characterized by low flammability, does not deteriorate from low temperatures in winter, does not cause allergies and other diseases, and provides high heat conservation performance.

The slab insulation is strengthened using a special adhesive. The joints between individual slabs are sealed with special care using polyurethane foam.

If the smallest gaps and cracks remain between the slabs, this will facilitate the penetration of moisture into the structures, causing the formation of condensation, rotting and the development of mold.

A reinforcing mesh is strengthened over the laid layer of slabs, the base is plastered, after which finishing is carried out in any way that will coincide with the finishing style of the external facade of the building.

Technology of internal insulation of the base

The basement floor of a pile-screw foundation can be insulated from the inside, for which the following technology is used:

Brick walls are insulated from the inside in the same way as from the outside, only they do without finishing the base of the pile-screw foundation. Insulation is considered complete after laying a metal mesh over the insulation layer. It is very important to lay a protective layer from the inside of the basement floor, which is added to the base. The base of a pile-screw foundation can be insulated with sand or expanded clay; in this case, expanded clay is a more reliable insulation for the basement of a pile-screw foundation.

Insulation of floors on the first floor

It is possible to insulate the floors of the first floor in a house with a foundation made of screw piles by installing several layers of waterproofing and insulation using the following technology: skull blocks are laid on both sides of the joists, on which a subfloor made of boards is laid. Wooden products should be treated with an antiseptic. A layer of waterproofing, vapor barrier, insulation is laid on the subfloor, another protective layer is sound insulation and a finished floor made of boards. It is allowed to place a finishing coating on top of the boards from finishing materials for the floor. Insulation of the floors of the first floor is considered the most reliable type of insulation of buildings on pile foundations made of screw piles. Watch the video to see what mistakes you should avoid when insulating your floor.

In conclusion, I would like to note one nuance of insulating a foundation belt made of piles - in the basement it is necessary to provide openings in the opposite walls for ventilation of the basement floor.

This is necessary to prevent the accumulation of vapors and condensation in the basement. Natural ventilation of the base will reduce the threat of premature corrosion of piles and other metal structures, and will also reduce the risk of the spread of mold and mildew, which greatly harm wood flooring.