Thermal insulation of the concrete floor under the screed with your own hands

For any homeowner, keeping their house warm and comfortable throughout the winter is of utmost importance. A crucial element in upholding a cozy indoor atmosphere is guaranteeing efficient thermal insulation. The floor is frequently disregarded while people concentrate on insulating the walls and roof. On the other hand, you can greatly increase your living space’s comfort level and energy efficiency by insulating the concrete floor underneath the screed.

In homes with solid floors, where heat loss through the ground can account for a significant portion of energy consumption, insulating the concrete floor is especially important. You can build a barrier that helps your home retain heat by adding insulation underneath the screed. This will lessen the need for continuous heating and save your energy costs.

Furthermore, insulating your concrete floor helps you keep your house cooler inside during the sweltering summer months in addition to keeping it warm in the winter. All year long, you can establish a more stable and comfortable environment by reducing heat transfer through the floor.

Although it is possible to hire specialists for insulation projects, doing the work yourself can be a satisfying and economical undertaking. You can successfully insulate the concrete floor beneath the screed, increasing the value and comfort of your home while simultaneously increasing energy efficiency, if you have the necessary supplies, equipment, and know-how.

Concrete floor insulation under the screed

Which material is the best option for the floor’s thermal insulation? Based on installation technology, all options can be categorized into three main groups: styling, filling, and spraying. Rolling canvases and slabs are part of the first; expanded clay, ecowata, vermiculite, and perlite are part of the second; and moistened ecovata and polyurethane foam are part of the third.

For the latter, independent work is not possible as specialized tools and experience are needed.

Basic requirements for the material

The scope is the primary factor to consider when selecting insulation. Mechanical resistance to general, periodic, and point loads is required for floors.

Crucial! Owing to the way the business is run, the base shouldn’t distort, saving you from having to replace the substrate, repair laminate or parquet flooring, and refinish the screed with insulation.

Among additional prerequisites, the following stand out:

• Long service life. This applies to all materials that are present in the pie between the ceiling and the finish, since major repairs are thoroughly carried out much less often than a cosmetic update.
• The screed device provides for the presence of moisture in the solution. The insulation for the floor screed according to the technology is covered with waterproofing, but it is impossible to track its actual state. Therefore, the thermal barrier should be created from materials that maintain technical characteristics after direct contact with water.
• Less often consider the issue of relatively thermal expansion. This is necessary in the case of laying the “warm floor” system. Then the value of deformity should be minimal so that cracks do not form.

Crucial! The coefficient of heat conductivity is a significant indicator. The insulating layer will be thinner the lower it is, resulting in the maximum distance between the floor slabs. This is particularly true for rooms with low ceilings.

Actual materials

Because of its low stiffness, mineral wool is unsuitable for any kind of performance. Penophol is elastic, ecowata causes shrinkage, and foamed foam has a low mechanical load resistance. Since it satisfies all requirements, extruded insulation to the floor beneath the screed is ideal.

The material has a layer thickness of between 50 and 100 mm, and these are its technical properties:

• Thermal conductivity – 0.031 W/m*K;
• Compression strength – 2.7 MPa;
• Water absorption – 0.4%;
• The service life is about 50 years.

Crucial! The penumplex has only one shortcoming, which is that it can be destroyed by direct contact with organic solvents. For this reason, when arranging the screed, additives of a similar kind should not be added.

It is acceptable to use expanded clay from bulk heater under the screed with a density of up to 0.6 t/m3 and a brilliance of up to 15 mm. Applying inflopurite and slag crushed stone (up to 0.8 t/m3), vermiculite, or perlite grains (0.2 t/m3) is an alternative. Particular consideration should be given to the ceramic insulator when installing a waterproof system. The material’s characteristics look like this:

• Thermal conductivity – 0.16 W/m*K;
• Compression strength – an average of 1.5 MPa;
• Water absorption – up to 20%, but with the preservation of technical characteristics and quick return of moisture;
• Environmental friendliness;
• Serves about 50 years.

The drawback in this case is that, in order to provide the screed with high-quality thermal insulation, an embankment with a layer of roughly 50 cm must be formed, which is not always acceptable. In order to fill the spaces between the insulator’s round grains, the leveling solution’s flow rate has also increased.

It is acceptable to use a foam-rolled material made of foamed polyethylene to warm the floor for screed.

Crucial! It is best to lay out canvases coated in aluminum foil before the heating element. In this instance, both the reflecting thermal barrier and waterproofing will be offered at the same time.

The foam’s technical indicators look like this:

• Thermal conductivity – up to 0.052 W/m*K;
• Compression strength – 0.035 MPa;
• Water absorption – up to 0.7;
• Serves 25 years.

Since soft polyethylene is brittle, it should only be utilized when working with self-supporting lining materials that transfer load across the subsystem. Penofol works best when paired with materials that are more rigid at the same time. Furthermore, as a result, the latter’s thickness is notably decreased.

Crucial! It is not advised to use overlap or puncture fasteners. Metallized tape is used to seal seams.

Take of thermal insulation of the floor of concrete with your own hands

There are only three steps involved in installing insulation for concrete screed. This includes setting up the work area, installing insulation, and aligning everything in its final position using a mixture that dissolves in water.

Preparation of the base

Prior to installing insulation, the space must be cleared, the previous finish must be completely removed, any weak spots or aggregates must be removed, and trash must be removed. The review then opens to find any gaps, fractures, or lumps.

Mounting foam is used to fill in the spaces after being overtrimmed. The schisms and seams are sealed with a cement or polymer solution after being embroidered and exhausted. The floor level may not align if alterations are noticed on the aircraft.

Crucial! If the concrete is even and renovated, you must conserve dust. Use a vacuum cleaner or perform wet cleaning to accomplish this. The base needs to be soaked in soil after that. Whether to strengthen the base, decrease moisture absorption, guard against biological deterioration, or improve moisture resistance or adhesion will determine which composition is best.

The damping tape is installed around the room’s perimeter at the conclusion. This is required to prevent the neighbors from being flooded from below. Additionally, the mounting gap between the walls, the aligning layer, and the thermal insulation beneath the screed needs to be noted. This void (up to 10 mm) caused by thermal expansion ensures that the coating won’t crack or deflect from its original shape.

Installation features depending on the insulation

The same guidelines state that polystyrene foam insulation for floors is required. They are fixed in place using specialized glue after being firmly covered in the joint. Using a flat or gear spatula, a uniform layer is applied over the whole floor surface. Metallized tape is used to seal the joints where the slabs and canvases meet.

Crucial! If it is to be laid in two or three layers, all joints are blocked by working in a checkerboard pattern.

At the end, a waterproof wall up to 20 cm high protects the insulated cover. It may be a technical film or membrane with a thickness of 100 microns. The edges overlap by 15 cm and are further adhered to with a sealed tape.

Water protection for expanded clay is applied directly to the floor’s concrete foundation. Draw a line on the walls to indicate where the embankment should be aligned. You must locate the highest point on the base and count away from it by at least 10 cm in order to accomplish this. The lines are then drawn in accordance with the horizontal level. You can install either temporary or permanent beacons in a large room.

The device of the screed

The cement solution should be used within one to two hours to prevent it from setting too soon. Pour it onto a location where beacons have been installed and are initially fastened to a comparable composition. Using the rule or rails, distribute the mass according to the lighthouse’s profile. It is not required to be disassembled if it is galvanized. The bar needs to be taken out until the screed is fully solidified if there is no protective coating. Additionally, the final voids complete the same composition.

We’ll walk you through the process of insulating your concrete floor beneath the screed on your own by using this guide. You can lower your heating expenses and improve the comfort and energy efficiency of your house by adding insulation. We’ll cover the supplies you’ll need and provide detailed instructions so you can confidently take on this project even if you’re not a DIY expert. Insulating your concrete floor is a wise investment for your home’s long-term comfort and energy efficiency, regardless of whether you’re building from scratch or remodeling.

The comfort and energy efficiency of your home can be significantly improved by insulating the concrete floor beneath the screed. You’ll save money and feel accomplished as well as gain a useful skill by doing this project yourself.

Increasing the thermal efficiency of your concrete floor is one of the main advantages of insulation. You can create a barrier that keeps heat from escaping through the floor by adding insulation underneath the screed. This keeps your house warmer throughout the winter, which lowers the need for overheating and, eventually, your energy costs.

Additionally, insulating your concrete floor can improve your living area’s general comfort. It can be unpleasant to walk on cold floors, particularly in the winter. Your home will be more pleasant for you and your family to be in when the floor is insulated to provide a more even and comfortable temperature.

The flexibility that comes with doing this project yourself is another benefit. You are free to select the kind and layer thickness of insulation that best fits your requirements and price range. Furthermore, DIY insulation lets you complete the project on your own time and at your own speed.

Additionally, you lessen your carbon footprint by insulating your concrete floor. Less energy is needed to heat a well-insulated home, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions from the energy industry. This tiny step toward sustainability helps you live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle in addition to helping the environment.

To sum up, insulating the concrete floor beneath the screed is a useful and satisfying do-it-yourself project that has many advantages. The benefits are obvious, ranging from cost savings and environmental sustainability to enhanced comfort and improved thermal efficiency. You can successfully complete this project and enjoy a more comfortable and energy-efficient home with the correct supplies, equipment, and advice.