The contents
A balcony or loggia often used as a warehouse for unnecessary things. But, given the fact that the apartment may be short on space, such spaces can become part of living area. For example, you can make the loggia private office, rest room, children’s room, kitchen or garden. To make it happen, you will have to insulate the balcony, so that no wind, nor rain, nor cold to penetrate inside. Measures insulation down to how to put good glass and cover the floor, walls and roof insulation.
Among all classic heaters can celebrate the polyurethane foam. This innovative material has many advantages over its counterparts. What is it better? How to perform insulation of balconies with polyurethane foam? If you have the necessary equipment, you’ll be able to insulate a balcony or loggia with their hands, without attraction of experts. Let’s find out how.
Polyurethane foam for thermal insulation of balcony ↑
Why we can say that this material is best suited for work? The balcony is quite cold place, which is subjected to the permanent influence of the external environment: strong wind, precipitation, icing, etc. Therefore, the material for insulation should have a good isolated room to release the heat and prevent the penetration of moisture. All this can be achieved with insulation balcony foam. What is the advantage of polyurethane foam?
First, the spraying of polyurethane foam forms a monolithic, seamless layer on the surface. It does not require any fasteners, anchors and adhesives. After warming will not have any gaps, cracks and non-insulated portions on the surface. Second, the polyurethane foam has the lowest thermal conductivity that will provide the best quality insulation. Unlike their classic «fellow», only a small layer of polyurethane foam to provide sufficient insulation. And this, in turn, will reduce the load on balcony room. Thirdly, to work with polyurethane foam not required vapor barrier and waterproofing material. This role is played by myself foam. This will allow you to save your money.
On top of that, you can mention many advantages of the material:
- perfect adhesion to any surface (except polyethylene);
- environment-friendly polyurethane foam and no toxicity;
- small total weight;
- bad combustibility;
- PPU will serve in the role of insulator, protecting the loggia from the sounds from the street;
- the operation life to 50 years;
- polyurethane foam does not rot and it does not appear mold and fungus.
Thus, seamless polyurethane foam insulation will provide top quality insulation, unless, of course, to accomplish all according to the technology. What is the job with the foam and how is the process of warming?
How does polyurethane foam insulation ↑
You need to know that polyurethane foam is one of the varieties of gas foam. It is obtained in the course of mixing the two components, polyol (A) and polyisocyanate (B). What, for a high-quality polyurethane foam is important to achieve the ideal ratio of 1:1. The insulation is made by two known methods:
- Fill.
- Coating.
When filling material is filled through a special hole in the space between the walls. There it increases, filling all the cracks and space. For warming of a loggia with polyurethane foam is better suited sputtering method in which polyurethane foam with special equipment under high pressure, enters the spray gun. It distributes polyurethane foam on the surface of (something similar with the process of painting from a spray bottle). Due to its properties of adhesion, it sticks to the surface and starts to foam. Increasing, it fills all the cracks, openings, cracks, and acquires the desired shape. It is noteworthy that the insulation does not need to bother with the preparation of the surface, align it and disassemble design. Surface simply clean the surface from contaminations. After drying (20 sec to 1 min), the foam becomes firm, then you can begin applying the decorative layer.
Balcony – the room is small, so all the work on warming you spend a few hours at most. One day all will be fulfilled. The only difficulty that you may have to insulate the balcony is to procure the equipment, because it is not cheap. Better to look for a place where you rent a unit to rent, or ask for it from friends. When you have everything you need, the process of insulation will go quickly.
Balcony insulated with polyurethane foam with your hands ↑
All work will be performed from the inside. Your task is to apply the polyurethane foam on the walls, floor and ceiling. Preparation surfaces will be minimal. For starters, you need to install Windows, if old has the. It is better to use plastic constructions with double glazing. It is important to consider that the walls and ceiling need to step back a few inches for a layer of insulation. After that, you will need to install guide beams or profiles under the paneling or drywall. Frame thickness must match the thickness of the insulation layer. It will serve as a guide so you know to what level to apply the foam. Or, you can install the brackets for the guides that you can fix after applying the material.
The following steps are performed to conduct electricity outlet, light, warm poly, etc. For reliability, place the wiring in the corrugated hose, in case the wires will burn out. So, you can easily replace the wire without damaging the surface. Now, get a clean surface. When the walls and ceiling are painted, desquamation paint must be removed. The same applies to the waste plaster. Remove any debris, dust, and pollution. For convenience, use a vacuum cleaner. Then polyurethane foam will stick better to the surface.
The time has come to close the doors and Windows with polyethylene, the material does not contaminate them.
To be safe, prepare in advance a special suit for working, dust mask, goggles and gloves. It is time to work on the insulation of foam polyurethane. The process was described above. You need to take the equipment with the filled composition inside and do the dusting. Adjust the gun so that it is given the required jet.
Spraying should be done on a dry surface. Start from the wall, moving from bottom to top. Gradually spray the material until, until it reaches the desired thickness. It is possible to do several layers. Pay special attention to corners and crevices. Continue until, until the wall is complete. Then, go to the ceiling. With the ceiling too problems should not to arise. Technology is still the same, sputtering occurs to the desired thickness.
After the ceiling finish second and move the wall to the floor insulation with polyurethane foam. This step must be implemented in the end. Likewise start with the corner, and gradually worked out the whole floor. Be careful to never have more voids. It is the solidity polyurethane foam on all surfaces, will provide the perfect insulation and vapour resistance.
One of the advantages of floor insulation foam is that if the surface is not smooth, it is after treatment with polyurethane foam all the defects you can hide. Importantly – correctly and exactly to expose the supporting joists to which flooring is nailed. In another case, you can do the concrete floor.
In the end, the extra foam to cut to make the surface smooth, ready for the next decorative layer. On the floor, after the screed, it is possible to lay tile, but better than the wall sheathing with paneling or drywall. It remains only to bring everything to the mind, to poshpatlevat plasterboard, Wallpaper paste and provide the room with furniture and decorations.
Your loggia is insulated and frost it is not terrible. Thanks to the polyurethane foam, heat loss is minimized, and the wind and rain will not be afraid. In addition, good soundproofing will allow you to enjoy the peace and comfort. As you can see, insulation of balconies with polyurethane foam you can do yourself without the help of professionals.
