Do-it-yourself insulation of the attic ceiling: how and with what to insulate the second floor under the roof - Setafi

Insulation of the attic ceiling is usually performed with expanded polystyrene or mineral wool. Since the attic is usually cold, laying is done in several layers. For this, a frame is constructed from a metal profile or a wooden beam. How to do this is described step by step in the material presented.

The choice of insulation

When planning the insulation of the second floor under the roof, you first need to decide on the material. The choice is connected with the properties of this or that raw material, the climatic features of the area. The most popular heaters that really protect against the cold are:

1. Polyfoam is an affordable insulation, light in weight. It is convenient to transport and cut into blocks of any size. However, it does not allow steam to pass through, so the room can become quite damp. If you equip a good ventilation system, this problem can be solved.
2. Do-it-yourself warming of the second floor under the roof can also be done with mineral wool (its varieties are glass wool and stone wool). They are also inexpensive and reliably protect from the cold, while they pass moisture well. But if you do not make a vapor barrier on 2 sides, the material will quickly swell from water,
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   evaporated in the air, and will quickly break down.
3. Also, the insulation of the second floor of a wooden house can be performed using polyurethane foam. And not only in the traditional way, but by spraying, which allows you to accurately apply the required amount, taking into account the characteristics of the surface. This is an effective material, but, like foam, it also does not pass moisture well. Therefore, high-quality ventilation is required.
4. You can insulate the second floor of a wooden house with your own hands and ecowool. It is more expensive, but it protects against the cold best of all, subject to high-quality installation. Especially well suited for cold rooms, including the attic.
5. There is also the option of insulation with a material with a reflective layer, which is made of dense foil. Usually they are used in baths or saunas. Moreover, it is important to understand that this is an inferior option, but only an additional tool. Therefore, considering how to insulate the attic ceiling, it is optimal to use, for example, mineral wool and pack it in a foil sheet.

Preparation for work, materials and tools

Before you understand how to insulate the ceiling from the side of the attic, you need to choose the material, as well as familiarize yourself with the structure of the roofing pie. It consists of several layers:

1. Outside there is a roof covering, for example, a metal tile.
2. This is followed by a counter-lattice and the actual crate, which is fixed to the rafters (bearing structure).
3. Under them are steam and waterproofing. This is an obligatory part of the pie, without which the insulation of the second floor will not work.
4. Insulation is laid between the rafters, for example, blocks of mineral wool.
5. Under it, i.e. closer to the ceiling, the vapor barrier is laid again. This is due to the need to protect the material from moisture, not only from the outside, but also from the inside. This is the right way to insulate the attic floor.
6. Finally, the last layer is the inner crate, which fixes the vapor barrier. Finishing materials can be attached to it from the inside, for example, panels for a finished ceiling.

If you insulate the second floor, as shown in the diagram, there will be practically no gaps, so even at the joints there will be no heat leakage. But for fastening the heat-insulating material, it is necessary to create a frame from a metal profile or a wooden crate. This will require the following materials and tools:

• actual heater;
• metal profiles or bars with slats for a wooden frame;
  saw;
• nails;
• self-tapping screws;
• hammer;
• screwdriver;
• roulette;
• sharp knife;
• mounting foam;
• construction stapler with staples;
• waterproofing;
• vapor barrier.

To create a frame, you can use a standard metal profile or wooden blocks. Their cross section can be 30 * 40 mm or a little more - 40 * 50 mm.

Step-by-step instruction

Now you need to figure out how to insulate the second floor in the country. The main stages of installation work are as follows:

1. First, a vapor barrier is installed from the inside. Between the roof and the outer coating of the vapor barrier material, a small gap should be provided for ventilation. Otherwise, moisture will accumulate from the inside and penetrate into the insulation itself, destroying it.
2. Next, a frame made of timber or a metal profile is mounted. Move on to laying the main material. If you plan to insulate the ceiling of the second floor with a cold roof, you need to lay it in at least 2 layers. Distribute as tightly as possible, with well-pressed joints. At the same time, each seam is covered with mounting foam.
3. Having figured out how to insulate the attic floor, they install a vapor barrier, for example, a membrane or glassine. Lay overlapping each other at least 10 cm, glue with adhesive tape. It is important to make tight connections through which air with particles of evaporated moisture will not penetrate.
4. At the final stage, it is planned to finish the attic ceiling in a wooden house. To do this, you can use an external decorative coating, take plasterboard sheets or other materials as a basis.

From this review it is clear how to insulate the attic floor in a private house. If the ceiling is cold and the region has frosty winters, it is better to use polystyrene foam or mineral wool, laid in 2-3 layers. It is advisable to make insulation with a margin and equip good ventilation. Thanks to this, on the second floor, you can create an optimal microclimate, regardless of the season.