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The balcony is that part of the room that is increasingly being used not only as a warehouse for unnecessary things, but also as an additional living space. Here you can, for example, arrange a cozy relaxation area or an office for work. However, to maintain heat, it is necessary to properly insulate the balcony.

How to insulate a balcony?

It would be more correct and effective to insulate the balcony from the outside, but this is not always possible, so the residents of apartment buildings decide to insulate the balcony with their own hands from the inside. To choose the right insulation for walls, floors, ceilings, it is worth considering the most popular options that are present on the modern building materials market.

Styrofoam

This is a popular thermal insulation material with excellent characteristics:

• low thermal conductivity;
• low moisture absorption;
• excellent sound insulator;
• low cost.

Thanks to the insulation, the balcony will be protected from the winter cold, moisture and wind blowing. Styrofoam is a material that is obtained by foaming polymers at high temperature and under pressure.

1. Possessing a porous structure, it is well cut, so it is easy to work with it. Polyfoam is produced in plates of various shapes, thicknesses and sizes.
2. If subsequent puttying of the walls is expected, then the density of the material should be from 15 to 25 kg / sq. see. For walls that will be covered with clapboard or drywall, you can use a less dense material.
3. Thermal insulation of the balcony with foam plastic has one drawback — the material is highly flammable. This must be taken into account when choosing a surface finish.

Material penoplex

It was developed on the basis of foam. However, such insulation is more wear-resistant, resistant to compression and can be used in any climatic conditions. Its structure is uniform, therefore the material is moisture resistant and has a low thermal conductivity. The thickness of its sheets must be at least 2 cm. Balcony insulation with foam plastic is used when free space is very limited. Using this material, you can make a balcony both a warm and a quiet place in the apartment. However, it is more flammable than the previous material.

Styrofoam

By foaming synthetic granules under high temperature and pressure, extruded polystyrene foam is obtained — plates of a porous structure. The material does not ignite, has low thermal conductivity, holds the desired shape well and is not afraid of moisture. However, it can soften and deform when exposed to solvents such as kerosene, gasoline, acetone, oil paints, so insulation of the balcony with polystyrene foam is undesirable if the ceiling or walls are to be painted.

Mineral wool

This synthetic material has a different origin:

• glass wool — obtained from glass melt;
• stone wool — made from melts of volcanic eruptions;
• slag wool is a derivative of blast-furnace slag.

Mineral wool of any kind is not afraid of exposure to various chemicals and high temperatures. It has low sound and thermal conductivity. It must be remembered that the insulation of the balcony with mineral wool also has a drawback — during operation, carcinogens in the form of formaldehydes can be released from this material into the environment.

Penofol

This insulation is obtained from polyethylene foam, which is applied to a polished foil. At the same time, such rolled material is produced in three types:

• with foil on one side;
• both sides are foiled;
• foil on one side, and the other has a self-adhesive coating.

Balcony insulation with penofol has several advantages:

• excellent sound and heat insulation;
• light thin, durable and flexible material;
• does not hide extra space;
• convenient in work;
• environmentally friendly;
• contributes to the reduction of repair costs.

polyurethane foam

An alternative to roll and sheet insulation is spraying with polyurethane foam. In this case, a seamless protective coating is formed on the surface. The foamed mass, having excellent adhesion, will fill all the bumps and voids, hermetically adhering to the insulated surfaces. Internal insulation of the balcony with the help of polyurethane foam coating will reliably protect the room from wind, moisture, noise and cold. In addition, such an environmentally friendly material does not cause allergies. However, the insulation of the balcony with polyurethane foam requires the use of special equipment.

Balcony insulation from the inside

The start of the whole process is the preparatory work, and then the selected material is fixed.

1. Insulation of balconies and loggias begins with the release of the premises from all that is superfluous, cleaning the walls and ceiling of the old finish. Next, you need to close up all the cracks with foam or weatherproof sealant.
2. Large irregularities are leveled with cement mortar.
3. Place electrical cables, if any, in special plastic boxes.
4. Sheathing and insulation of the balcony is made with a pre-selected material.
5. Insulation of a panoramic balcony has some features. The complexity of this work lies in the fact that the parapet is part of the window. To reduce heat loss, you need to carefully seal all the gaps between the balcony frame and the double-glazed window.
6. Then we carry out the insulation of the balcony with the help of today’s popular sprayed polyurethane foam, which also has waterproofing properties.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip3ez69adEE

Balcony wall insulation

Styrofoam is often used to insulate walls on a balcony.

1. Before starting work, its sheets are smeared with special glue, and then pressed against the wall. Then each sheet is fastened with umbrella dowels, the caps of which are slightly recessed into the insulation.
2. If paint is used at the end of the repair, then after the foam has been glued, it is necessary to glue a reinforcing mesh on it, putty the walls, cover with a primer and paint.
3. If it is supposed to decorate the walls with panels, then for their fastening, you must first make a crate. For better thermal insulation, penofol is attached over the foam using liquid nails, and the joints between the sheets are sealed with foil tape. Then wooden bars are attached to the wall, which will serve as the basis for the wall panels.

Glazing and insulation of the balcony and its parapet have their own characteristics. If the balcony railing is made of concrete blocks, then it is only necessary to blow out the possible gaps between them with mounting foam and attach the selected insulation. In the case when the parapet is a metal structure, foam sheets must be laid on a pre-made crate. For the best effect, you can attach two layers of insulation in the parapet area.

Floor insulation on the balcony

This part of the apartment, being actually on the street, is a kind of barrier that restrains the flow of cold into the rooms, so proper insulation of the balcony is very important. Styrofoam or polystyrene foam is chosen as a heater for the balcony floor. Before starting work, level the floor surface by performing a rough screed or using self-leveling compounds. Insulation of a home balcony is carried out in the following sequence:

1. Waterproofing. To do this, use a special membrane or a conventional plastic film. We carefully fasten it to the walls of the balcony, and seal the joints with construction tape.
2. First layer of thermal insulation. Styrofoam plates should fit as closely as possible to each other. Foil penofol is laid with a shiny layer down.
3. Wooden logs. Their height is equal to the thickness of the insulation.
4. Second layer of insulation. It is laid between the lags, and all the gaps between the plates are sealed. Then comes the second layer of waterproofing.
5. fine finish. It can be a wooden coating or a cement-sand screed.

Balcony ceiling insulation

If it is planned to carry out the insulation of the balcony from the outside, then one more important step must first be carried out — the ceiling sheathing. First you need to make sure that its surface does not leak anywhere. For insulation, a variety of materials are used:

1. Styrofoam. The plates must be 50 mm thick. If, after insulation, PVC panels or drywall are used, then logs are mounted on the ceiling, into which insulation sheets are inserted. Seams need to be blown out with mounting foam. Under the putty, the foam is glued to the ceiling in the same way as on the walls.
2. Foil penofol or isolon. This thick insulation is laid out on the surface of the ceiling and fastened with slats. For a greater insulating effect, you can lay more foam on top of such material.
3. Penoplex. First, you need to attach a foil isolon to the ceiling, and foam is glued on top of it. The installation of this insulation on the ceiling is similar to the foam sticker.
4. Mineral wool. Before using this insulation, a suspended frame is mounted on the ceiling, in which mineral wool is embedded. It must be remembered that when working with this material it is important to observe personal safety measures and wear protective equipment.