How to insulate a loggia: options + instructions for installing an insulation system from the inside with your own hands
A loggia is several square meters that can serve a variety of purposes.To use this room all year round, you need to ensure a comfortable temperature there. Every home craftsman can transform it into a cozy, useful and well-equipped space.
Are you planning to start arranging these additional square meters, but don’t know how to insulate the loggia with your own hands and what materials will be needed for this? We will help you deal with all the issues - our article provides recommendations for choosing insulation and discusses step-by-step instructions for thermal insulation of the walls, ceiling and floor of the loggia.
The content of the article:
Where to start insulating a loggia?
You should start, of course, with planning. You should decide on the functional purpose of this small room. If you plan to use it as a warehouse for things that are not very necessary, then insulation does not make much sense. But the loggia can be turned into an office, a small gym, a winter garden, etc.
There are also restrictions. For example, a loggia cannot be used as a kitchen space, i.e. install a stove, a sink for washing dishes, etc. It is also prohibited to install a centralized heating system in this area.
There are a number of other restrictions that may be related to the architectural features and fire safety of the building.This may be a ban on glazing above a certain floor, on changing the appearance of the building, the height of the fence, etc.
As practice shows, many manage to somehow circumvent these standards and arrange a loggia to their liking. Before starting work, it doesn’t hurt to coordinate your plans with supervisory authorities or prepare for problems to arise after the rework is completed.
But under no circumstances should openings be made in a load-bearing wall; only the openings provided for in the original design are permissible. Even a window and door unit removed from the loggia can pose a danger.
To keep the loggia warm, you will need high-quality glazing. It is better to order it from a reliable company. Double-glazed windows will do the job perfectly.
Part of the space will be “eaten up” by a layer of insulation. These centimeters will have to be sacrificed in order to reliably protect the house from the cold. Loggias located on the lower floors are most often insulated from the outside. We talk about the best materials for external wall insulation wrote here.
From the very beginning, you need to consider options for heating this space.
There are not so many of them, because only suitable for a loggia:
- electric TP;
- infrared TP;
- portable heater.
Considering that the installation area is small, you can spend money on such convenience as a TP. Cable systems are easy to install; you can do all the work yourself. Infrared flooring is more difficult to install; it requires an almost perfectly level base, but the cost of electricity during operation will be moderate.
But the simplest solution would be to use heater, especially if the loggia is not used every day, but only from time to time. Installing heated floors will require more expense and effort.
Recommendations for choosing insulation
The choice of materials and options for insulating a loggia with your own hands is quite wide.
Among the most popular it is worth noting:
- mineral wool;
- Styrofoam;
- polyurethane foam;
- expanded polystyrene;
- penofol, etc.
Mineral wool has a low price, but this is almost its only advantage. To lay such material, you will need to first arrange the lathing. Mineral wool is sensitive to moisture; when wet, it loses its beneficial properties, so it is not always suitable for a loggia.
Polystyrene foam is a lightweight and durable material that tolerates moisture well and is considered a fairly moderately priced option.
Polyurethane foam is a sprayed seamless coating. Its thickness can be varied to save precious centimeters.
Such insulation as extruded polystyrene foam - These are light and comfortable slabs. It is very durable, retains heat well, and provides a high level of fire safety. It can be installed very quickly, but the cost of such insulation can be quite high.
Penofol is a relatively thin material that complements other loggia insulation materials.
It consists of a layer of polystyrene foam and a reflective foil covering. To reduce costs and provide the desired effect, materials can be combined.
For example, on the ceiling you can use polystyrene foam covered with a layer of polystyrene foam, and on the balustrade and walls you can use polystyrene foam boards.
The main stages of room insulation
To properly carry out insulation, you must perform the following basic operations:
- Clear the space from foreign objects.
- Remove old coverings from the ceiling, walls, floor.
- Inspect the base, identify cracks, chips, noticeable irregularities.
- Thoroughly eliminate any deficiencies found.
- Remove old glazing if it needs modernization.
- Treat surfaces antifungal and hydrophobic compounds.
- Seal the joints.
- Perform glazing work.
- Lay insulation on the ceiling, walls and floor.
- Install electrical wiring.
- Install the TP system.
- Carry out finishing work, install lighting, etc.
An important point is assessing the wear of structural fasteners. After installing double-glazed windows and thermal insulation, the weight of the structure may increase significantly.
To carry out the necessary calculations and install reinforcing elements, you need to contact companies that have the necessary licenses. Self-indulgence in these matters can be fatal.
Stage #1 - thorough preparation of the loggia
When insulating and finishing a loggia, you should be very careful about sealing cracks and sealing seams. In such places, all crumbling material is carefully removed to a solid base.
The cracks in concrete structures are filled with repair compounds, strictly following the instructions. If part of the reinforcement was exposed during the process and there are traces of rust on it, the rod should be cleaned and treated with an anti-corrosion agent.
The weak spot is the filler around the window frame. The material with which this space is foamed begins to lose its properties after just a couple of years. Before installing new glazing, the foam must be completely removed.
To insulate old frames, the worn-out filler is cleaned from the grooves, and the resulting space is sealed with a more stable compound.
Stage #2 - installation of polystyrene foam and penofol on the ceiling
The insulation is installed according to the “top to bottom” scheme, i.e. start from the ceiling. Most often, foam boards are installed here. They can be fixed with tile adhesive. The composition is spread around the perimeter of the slab, and several strokes are also made in the center.
There is no need to completely cover the surface with glue. After this, the slab is pressed to the ceiling and wait a few minutes for the composition to set. Then you can start gluing the next element.
The frame method of installing this material is also allowed, but it is considered more labor-intensive.
Before starting work on insulating the walls of the loggia from the inside, the slabs are cut so that they have the appropriate dimensions. It is necessary to ensure that the joints on adjacent slabs do not coincide. The surface of the ceiling made of polystyrene foam is covered with penofol. The foil side should be facing the floor.
Stage #3 - attaching polystyrene foam to the walls
Such boards can be glued to the walls using appropriate mounting foam or adhesive. Foam will be appropriate where the base on which polystyrene foam is laid is quite flat, installation time will be noticeably reduced.
If there is a distortion, it is more logical to use glue. You can vary the thickness of its application to suit the wall surface. After this, the plates are additionally fixed with plastic “fungi”.
When installing expanded polystyrene, it is also necessary to ensure that the seams in adjacent elements do not overlap. This will increase the overall level of thermal insulation and prevent the appearance of “cold bridges”.
A plastic mounting mesh is glued to the top of the slabs to prepare the base for finishing materials. Some inexperienced craftsmen press the mesh against the slab and then apply a layer of glue. This is an erroneous method; after drying or later, such a mesh may simply fall off.
According to the technology, you first need to apply a layer of glue to the surface of the slab, then put a mesh on it, and put glue on top of it again. This is a longer and more expensive installation option, but it provides the necessary adhesion.
Some craftsmen, before installing the mesh, level the surface of polystyrene foam with glue: apply a layer, level it using the rule and wait for it to dry. After this, apply a fresh layer of glue, mesh and more glue.
The fact is that protruding polystyrene foam can simply be cleaned off with a suitable sandpaper, but polystyrene foam has to be cut off. For small differences it is easier to use a solution rather than a knife. The density of the façade mesh should be quite high, at least 140 g/sq. m, although it is better to take a denser one, for example, 180 g/sq.m.
After its installation, the wall surface is puttyed to completely level it. Then you can carry out finishing: painting, wallpaper, etc. Of course, electrical wiring should be completed before installing the mesh.
Stage #4 - laying electric heated floors
To pave electric wires, recesses are made in the insulation layer. The wire is first inserted into the box, and then mounted on the wall, floor, ceiling, etc. In the future, this will make it easier to eliminate possible breakdowns.
Floor insulation is carried out using approximately the same materials as on the walls. Sometimes expanded clay is used; it is poured onto a base covered with a layer of waterproofing. Next, you can use polystyrene foam boards or other material, for example, mineral wool. It is laid between wooden joists.
If you intend to install a heated floor system, you need to take care of a level base. Cable systems are laid in a layer of screed. The composition is selected in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
The IR film floor is placed on the base, and the floor covering can be immediately installed on top. In this case, the floor level will rise quite a bit.
We have provided step-by-step instructions for laying cable and film heated floors in next article.
You need to provide a place for installation in advance thermostat. Usually a niche of a suitable size is made on the wall for these purposes. A temperature sensor placed in a corrugated tube is placed among the turns of the cable TP. It will also need to be connected to the thermostat.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Detailed video tutorial on how to insulate a loggia with your own hands:
Insulation of the loggia floor:
Modern materials and technologies make it possible to insulate a loggia really reliably and quickly. In any case, when performing installation work, the technology requirements and manufacturer’s recommendations should be observed. Then the result will fully meet expectations, and the insulation will remain effective for many years.
Are you planning to do your own insulation of the loggia, but do you still have questions after reading our material? Feel free to ask our experts for advice - write questions in the comments block.
Or maybe you want to share your personal experience of installing heat-insulating materials and heated floors on the balcony? Write your recommendations, add original photos below under this article - many beginners will be grateful to you.
Few people use their balcony or loggia as an additional room.My husband equipped the room as a small office. Basically, wooden paneling was used, which was then coated with water-based varnish. We decided to choose such materials because of their environmental benefits and the absence of an unpleasant odor. I think that overall we did an excellent job.
To make a loggia part of a living space, you need to comply with many restrictions and obtain permission, which costs a lot of money and takes a lot of time. Therefore, I limited myself to installing the best double-glazed windows and covering the walls/floor with insulation. In frosty weather it’s still cold, of course, but at temperatures around zero it’s quite comfortable to be on the loggia.