Как утеплить черновой пол в деревянном доме: выбор утеплителя и способы монтажа

Как правильно утеплять деревянные полы в доме с холодным подполом: чем лучше

Самостоятельное утепление пола в частных домах, которое проведено правильно, избавляет собственника от различных неудобств. Кроме того, это даст возможность сэкономить на услугах мастеров и снизить траты на отопление. Чтобы знать, как утеплить пол в частном доме, необходимо ознакомиться с рекомендациями.

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Утепление пола в частном доме самостоятельно

Чтобы внутри помещения чувствовался комфорт, требуется как следует утеплить пол. Они, как и стены, потолок, оконные и дверные проемы, считаются источником значительных теплопотерь. Подобная проблема в частности актуальна в строениях, которые стоят непосредственно на грунте, без цокольного этажа. В такой ситуации даже интенсивное прогревание дома не помогает. Присутствие холодного подвала под постройкой также не спасет. Чтобы знать, как утеплять пол, требуется выбирать надежный материал.

Какие материалы можно использовать

До того, как проводить утепление полов на 1 этаже на даче, в собственном жилище, требуется правильно выбрать материалы. Эксперты рекомендуют утеплять паркет минеральной ватой, керамзитом, пенополистиролом, поскольку данные материалы отличаются:

 

• высокими техпараметрами;
• длительностью эксплуатации;
• стойкостью к отрицательным факторам;
• комфортом в работе;
• недорогой ценой.

Когда у домовладельца старое деревянное жилище без подвала, то следует начинать процесс утепления пола в частном доме. Утепление покрытий своими руками является достаточно сложным и трудоемким процессом. Оно отнимает большое количество времени и усилий. Однако, подобным образом, владелец жилища экономит на услугах специалистов.

Следует заметить, что когда отсутствует требуемый опыт при осуществлении строительно-ремонтных работ, то оптимально обратиться за помощью к мастерам. Едва ли в подобной ситуации удастся правильно сделать тепло- и гидроизоляцию минватой либо керамзитом.

Важно! Рекомендовано пригласить для монтажа квалифицированных экспертов, делающих работы качественно, быстро и по относительно дешевой цене. Они применяют надежные материалы, являющиеся экологичными, пожаростойкими и долговечными.

Синтетические вспененные утеплители

Подобные утеплители отличаются следующими преимуществами:

• влагоустойчивость, низкая степень поглощения влаги;
• длительность эксплуатации составят 10 и больше лет;
• устойчивость объема и форм;
• неподвержены негативному влиянию вредоносной микрофлоры;
• повышенная прочность;
• экологичность.

Небольшой коэффициент влагопоглощения и теплопроводимости пенополиуретана дает возможность применять материал, чтобы утеплить покрытия на грунте. Толщина теплоизоляционной прослойки в ряде ситуаций составляет 8 см.

Минеральная вата

Минвата считается строительным утеплителем, который состоит из большого количества волокон (бывают 3 типов: стекло, камень либо шлаки). Чтобы работать с подполом, оптимально воспользоваться базальтовым полотном, поскольку его легче установить под конструкцию покрытия. Из 2 вариантов — рулонов и матов в качестве плит — выбирается второй, поскольку он отлично держит форму. Достоинства:

• хороший уровень теплоизоляции;
• простота установки;
• относительно высокая влагоустойчивость;
• жаростойкость и пожаробезопасность;
• не заводится вредоносная флора.

Минусы:

• при самостоятельном монтаже требуется воспользоваться спецзащитой — одеждой, респираторной маской, очками, поскольку в воздухе много частиц волокон и пыли, которые раздражают дерму и респираторный тракт;
• понадобится влагозащита, поскольку структура чувствительна к парообразованию;
• при нарушении технологии установки вероятна значительная усадка;
• во время настила меж лагов делается зазор до главной конструкции в 5 см.

Важно! Когда принято решение использовать минвату, подбирается утеплитель требуемой толщины. Конкретные параметры будут зависеть от климата. Базальтовая вата подойдет для каждого типа покрытий.

Керамзит

Керамзит является пористыми гранулами, которые изготовлены из глины, песка и мелких фракций камня, с дальнейшим обжигом. Отличительной чертой такого напольного утеплителя станет возможность сохранения собственных теплоизолирующих качеств во влажных условиях. Распространенным его сделали следующие характеристики:

• повышенная теплопроводимость;
• устойчивость к температурным скачкам;
• повышенная пожароустойчивость;
• сопротивление сильным механическим нагрузкам;
• продолжительная эксплуатация, которая превышает 40 лет;
• экологичность материала;
• легкость монтажа;
• незначительная масса;
• надежность, утепленный пол может простоять длительное время.

К минусам следует отнести большое количество материала, требуемое для монтажа. Чтобы сделать качественную теплоизоляцию, керамзитовая прослойка должна иметь толщину 15-40 см.

Основные способы утепления

На сегодня есть большой список технологий относительно утепления покрытий, который ежедневно пополняют новые варианты, обладающими более высокими техпараметрами. В качестве оснований выступают ж/б плита, черновой пол по лагам из дерева либо грунт. Работы должны проводиться в конкретной последовательности.

Утепление пола по грунту

Чтобы утеплить керамзитом пол из древесины на грунте, требуется следовать следующим рекомендациям:

• Делается осмотр основания под полом, его засыпают мелкофракционным щебнем в 10-15 см, что поможет задержать влагу из грунта. Затем прослойка как следует утрамбовывается. Чтобы получить лучший эффект, рекомендовано пролить щебень водой.
• Затем насыпается песок слоем в 10 см, осторожно трамбуется.
• Поверху на песок укладывают гидроизоляцию — керамзит крайне сильно впитывает влагу и утрачивает собственные теплоизоляционные параметры. Как гидроизоляцию можно использовать рубероид и геотекстильное полотно.

• После этого возможно насыпать керамзит — прослойка составляет 10 см. После его требуется аккуратно утрамбовывать. Хрупкие частицы утеплителя способны быстро разрушиться и обратиться в пыль, потому не следует переусердствовать. Для достижения качественной трамбовки возможно перемешать мелкие и средние частицы керамзита.
• На керамзитовый слой кладется пароизоляция — достаточно использовать пленку из полиэтилена. Кладут ее способом «внахлест», размеры стыков должны быть по меньшей мере 15 см. Закрепляют проложенный слой пароизоляции к лагам стройскобами при помощи степлера.

Устройство теплоизоляции для пола по ж/б плите

Основные рекомендации при монтажных работах:

• Покрытие очищается, выравнивается, стыки заделываются при помощи раствора.
• Укладывается пароизоляционная пленка с проклейкой швов, когда используются минеральные утеплители. Полистиролы не нуждаются во влагозащите.
• Размещается теплоизоляция — плитная, рулонная, насыпная.
• Армируется покрытие сеткой.

• Заливается песчано-цементная стяжка.
• Внутри влажного помещения кладется гидроизоляция в целях защиты материала от влаги.
• Монтируется пол— линолеум, плитка, паркет, доска.

Утепление пола по лагам или балкам перекрытия

Пошаговая инструкция утепления покрытия по лагам:

• На опоры укладываются лаги — брусок со спецсечением.
• По нижней части балок крепится оцинкованная сетка либо доска.
• Расстилается ветровлагозащитная мембрана, швы проклеиваются, закрепляются при помощи степлера к брусу.

• Укладывается материал в толщину, которая не меньше расчетной для конкретного климатического региона.
• Поверх изолируются материалы от влаги гидропароизоляцией, закрепляется к лагам, швы проклеиваются.
• Сверху конструкции кладется фанера либо доска, фиксируется к обрешетке. Это станет основанием для финишного покрытия.

Важно! В ряде ситуаций теплоизоляция укладывается в 2 слоя. В данному случае бруски 2 уровня устанавливаются перпендикулярно первому.

Утепление пола методом укладки двойного пола

Такой способ используется тогда, когда высота потолка дает возможность сократить этот показатель на 12-20 см. Основные советы:

• снимается плинтус, ремонтируются половицы и заполняются зазоры с помощью монтажной пены, опилок со столярным клеем либо размоченной бумаги с клейстером;
• устанавливаются лаги с расстоянием меж них 0,6 м;
• вымеряется с помощью ватерпаса высота верхних плоскостей лаг, при превышении снимаются остатки рубанком, недостача ликвидируется посредством подкладки под брусок рубероида либо щепы;

• укладывается гидро- либо пароизоляция сплошным полотном;
• заполняется полость меж лагов при помощи керамзита, базальтовой ваты, вспененного полистирола или иного теплоизоляционного материала, оставляя зазор для вентиляции;
• укрывается пол очередным слоем изоляции;
• настилается доска, фанера либо иной аналогичный материал;
• в конце укладывают напольное покрытие, устанавливают плинтус.

Важно! Вне зависимости от выбранной схемы, покрытия в свайных основаниях, требуется защищать от выдувания с помощью ветрозащитного барьера. Он расположен с наружной стороны утеплительной системы.

Как утеплить пол снизу, не снимая старый пол

Когда в каркасном доме есть холодный подвал, оптимально утеплить пол снизу, не снимая старого покрытия. В то же время не понадобится подбирать материал, который способен выдерживать массу тяжелых предметов мебели и прочие нагрузки механического характера. В такой ситуации выполняется защита чистового покрытия и всего пола.

Во время выполнения монтажных работ определенные трудности появляются с быстрой усталостью от работ с приподнятыми руками. Кроме того, есть запреты относительно некоторых видов теплоизоляции и надобность крепления с высокой надежностью.

Утепление снизу выполняют таким образом:

1. Изначально обустраивают гидроизоляцию.
2. Далее расположен теплоизолятор.
3. Сверху устанавливается изоляция от водяных паров.
4. Затем делается перекрытие, которое удержит теплоизоляцию покрытия.

Важно! Соблюдая такую технологию во время проведения работ собственноручно, возможно получить приемлемый режим температур в жилище. Утеплитель не должен иметь большой вес, поскольку он дает сильную нагрузку на крепежи.

Советы и рекомендации

Рекомендации по проведению монтажных работ:

• В целях теплоизоляции покрытий подходят различные материалы, характеризующиеся надежностью и невысокой теплопроводностью.
• Наибольший эффект даст слоистая изоляция.
• Волокнистые, пористые и сыпучие материалы оптимально расположить с холодной стороны — таким образом внутрь помещения возвратится большее количество тепла.
• Во избежание демонтажа покрытия, в ряде ситуациях теплоизоляция полов на 1 этаже выполняется со стороны подвала.
• Чтобы утеплить пол при помощи керамзита, оптимально воспользоваться материалом с пористыми гранулами — они удерживают в помещении до 80% тепла.
• Вне зависимости от используемого материала, до проведения работ нужно тщательно осмотреть основание покрытия. На нем должны отсутствовать щели и изъяны. Когда они выявлены, заделываются при помощи монтажной пены, чтобы предупредить формирование в будущем «холодных мостиков».

Теплый пол станет залогом создания в жилище уюта и комфорта. Когда не выполнена качественная теплоизоляция пола, температурные показатели внутри помещения будут низкими даже при надлежащей работе системы отопления. Процесс самостоятельного утепления покрытия не является крайне тяжелой задачей, потому выполнить ее возможно даже без помощи специалистов.

90000 How to insulate the floors in a wooden house: tips and tricks 90001 90002 For someone who has not spent the whole life at the construction site, the question of how to insulate floors in a wooden house can be the most difficult. However, everything is much simpler than it might seem at first glance. Let’s lay out on the shelves all the options for insulation that are used for this purpose, and choose the best for each specific case. 90003 90002 90005 Why insulate the floor 90006 90003 90002 We all try to save money on what we can, — this is not a sign of greed, but the proper construction of your own budget.And if you know how to properly insulate floors, you can cut heating costs by about 20 percent. This is due to the fact that the temperature of the floor will always be three degrees higher than in the room itself. So, you will be much more comfortable even with minimal use of your heating system. 90003 90002 90005 How to start 90006 90003 90002 First, you need to decide which type of foundation you arewill do in your new home. But even if you have purchased ready-made housing, and the floors in it are cold, you can determine the type of foundation.And if the foundation tape or the house is located on piles, warming is an extremely necessary measure. In fact in the basis of the house all the same there are emptiness which can not give a reliable thermal protection. But how to insulate floors in a wooden house is correct, if it has been built for quite some time? You need to choose the right insulation. It is best to give preference to well-known firms that have proven themselves in the construction market. Because, having saved on the heater, you can get high humidity in the house and even fungus.90003 90002 90005 Types of materials 90006 90003 90002 All heaters can be divided into the followingtypes: mineral (expanded clay), plastic (polystyrene and its derivatives), silicate (glass wool) and wood-shaving (ecowool or ordinary sawdust). You can choose exactly the material that you need. But remember an important rule — each of them has its own technologies and rules for laying and application. 90003 90002 90005 Getting Started 90006 90003 90002 Warming the floor in a wooden house is possible andindependently, the main thing is to know how.The most common type of insulation can be called a double floor system. This is the so-called division into a clean and rough floor. In the first layer, rough uncut boards are used, which are fixed to beams. It must be remembered that all wooden elements must be treated with an antiseptic and an antifungal solution. They are covered with a fine-meshed metal mesh. It will help protect the house from rodents. Then you need to lay a layer of vapor barrier film that will prevent the release of warm air and the arrival of cold.And already on it falls mineral wool. The thickness of the insulation must be such that between the layers of the floor there is a gap of about 5 centimeters. This will help prevent moisture collection and ensure reliable ventilation. On top of the mineral wool laid another layer of vapor barrier, after which you can begin to have a finishing floor. Now we know how to insulate the floor in a wooden house with the help of mineral wool. With sawdust and ecowool the principle of action will remain the same.But what about the rest? 90003 90002 90005 How to insulate floors in a wooden house with claydite 90006 90003 90002 Expanded clay is a relatively cheap material, but this isdoes not mean that it is of poor quality. By its properties, this insulation even surpasses some materials — sawdust and chipboard. It is laid on a layer of waterproofing, in the role of which can act and the usual film. Then you need to mix different sized granules of expanded clay and fill it with a prepared surface. The height of the layer should be at least 15 cm.This is necessary for maximum thermal insulation. After the material has been filled and leveled, it is possible to lay the finishing floor. 90003 That’s all the tricks. Now you know how to insulate the floors in a wooden house. As you can see, all actions are simple, which means that it is quite possible to manage independently. Successful construction or repair! .90000 How do I insulate a floor? 90001 90002 How do I insulate a floor? 90003 90004 Got cold feet about cold floors? We look at how to insulate a floor, exploring options for both a wooden floor and concrete floor, showing you how to insulate under the floor or above a concrete slab, whilst minimising thermal bridging. 90005 90006 90007 Target U-Value 90008 90004 Generally, ground floors are either solid, usually concrete slabs, or suspended, i.e. timber floorboards on joists.When uninsulated, they will both have a U-value of between 0.45W / m 90010 2 90011 K and 0.70W / m 90010 2 90011 K, but this depends on the geometry of the floor and the amount of thermal bridging. In each case the target U-value after installing insulation is between 0.20W / m 90010 2 90011 K and 0.25W / m 90010 2 90011 K (depending on floor geometry). 90006 90004 Insulating a solid floor is a lot more trouble and expensive than insulating a timber floor. Typically, the former has a payback of between 8 or 10 years or more, but the payback period for suspended timber floor insulation is between 3 and 5 years.90006 90007 Avoiding thermal bridging 90008 90004 Thermal bridging occurs where a solid building elements continues from the inside to the outside of the structure, conducting heat out or cold in. It severely compromises the value of the work and can lead to cold spots and condensation. 90006 90004 Techniques to minimise thermal bridging with insulation around floors 90006 90004 The above diagrams show how to apply insulation around the edges of building elements to prevent thermal bridging.90006 90004 Also consider in each case where the airtightness layer beneath the floor next to the one in the walls around the edges. The airtightness layer prevents unwanted draught infiltration. It can be pictured as a continuous envelope around the building. 90006 90004 For example, in the diagram above for underfloor heating, which shows how the membrane laps up the side of the insulation behind the skirting board, it should then go behind, or be taped to, the plasterboard or plaster on the walls.90006 90004 In the diagram above illustrating insulation beneath a solid floor, where it goes underneath the wall to the outside, it should then connect to any render covering the wall. 90006 90007 Best insulation material to use to insulate a floor 90008 90004 Comparing the k-values ​​of some insulants used in underfloor insulation 90006 90004 The graph above shows the relative thermal conductivity (k-value) of some insulants which might be considered for underfloor insulation. The standard choice is phenolic foam, XPS or EPS, but these are not ideal in an eco-home, as it is not a natural material but non-breathable and a product of the fossil fuel industry.90006 90004 Other materials are discussed below and compared in tables for each type of floor. Figures for k-value vary according to product so you should do your own research. These tables are guides only. 90006 90004 Phenolic foam, EPS, polyisocyanurate and XPS should only be used if space is a absolute premium. As can be seen, batts of woodfibre or mineral wool are almost as good as EPS. Cellulose is also ideal if the insulant does not have to be load-bearing. This is made of recycled newsprint.Granulated cork has also been used. 90006 90004 We will now look at how to deal with each type of floor in turn. 90006 90007 How to insulate a wooden floor 90008 90004 If there is access from below, is easy to stuff the insulation between the joists. Press the insulation against the floorboards, but do not over-compress. 90006 90004 Sheep’s wool insulation between rafters in a suspended floor, secured with netting 90006 90004 It’s possible to add more insulation than the depth of the joists permits in two stages, by, after stuffing the spaces between the joists, adding battens to the underneath of the joists and fastening the second layer of retaining boards, fabric or netting to them .90006 90004 Holes in the floorboards where pipes and other wires go through, plus the gaps around the edges and between floorboards, all need to be plugged with mastic and tapes to prevent draughts. 90006 90004 If there is no access from beneath, there is nothing for it but to take up the floorboards. 90006 90004 If there is a possibility that the room could flood, a damp proof layer should not be put beneath the insulation; instead, draught resistant fabric should be used, through which the water can drain away.90006 90004 Three stages of installing insulation beneath a suspended wooden floor 90006 90004 Here, insulation in the form of sheep’s wool has been installed between the joists and kept in place with 60mm thick wood-fibre boards. The thermal conductivity of the wood-fibre boards is 0.04W / mK. This is fully breathable. The detailing for this installation is below. The U-value for a typical semi-detached house with this configuration is 0.16W / m 90010 2 90011 K. 90006 90004 Detail for insulation beneath suspended wooden floor 90006 90007 How much insulation do I need under a wooden floor? 90008 90004 Insulation thicknesses for a suspended wooden floor 90006 90002 90003 90002 90003 90077 How to insulate a concrete floor 90078 90004 If a floor is being excavated and replaced, this is a perfect opportunity to improve the standard of insulation.A U-value of 0.2W / m 90010 2 90011 K can be achieved for a typical semi-detached dwelling using around 100mm of air-based insulation and careful detailing. Better U-values ​​could be achieved with the same thickness of higher performance materials, or a deeper thickness of the same material. 90006 90004 Insulation can be added over the existing concrete slab or under a new one. 90006 90007 Above the concrete slab 90008 90004 If the insulation is placed above the slab, the room will warm up more quickly 90005 when the heating is switched on, but cool down more quickly too — this applies to all internal insulation.90006 90004 It will also affect the floor level, which has an impact on door openings, stairs and other fixtures. This is why phenolic foam is the most common solution in this instance, because it can achieve greater insulation for less depth. 90006 90004 In this case, the damp proof membrane goes above the concrete. Moisture resistant chipboard goes on top, beneath the flooring surface. Leave room for expansion around the edges. 90006 90007 Below the concrete slab 90008 90004 Insulation below the slab is generally better, especially in a warm south-facing room, since the concrete helps absorb heat and limits overheating.90006 90004 The damp proof membrane is placed over a layer of sand to prevent it being punctured by sharp stones. As it also serves as an airtightness membrane, it laps up the sides of the walls to link to the plaster or plasterboard. 90006 90004 Insulation goes on top of this and around the edges, and concrete is poured on top of that. If underfloor heating is being used, which is fixed to the top of the concrete mix, and then a small amount of concrete poured on top of that. The floorcovering can be either tiles or floorboards, but any timber should be left in the room for some weeks with the heating on before being laid to prevent it warping.90006 90007 How much insulation do I need for a concrete floor? 90008 90004 Insulation thicknesses for a solid concrete floor 90006 90007 Why not install underfloor heating along with solid floor insulation? 90008 90004 It is highly recommended to install underfloor heating at the same time as tackling underfloor insulation, especially with solid floors. You get better value for money. 90006 90004 Underfloor heating is far more efficient than conventional central heating and gives a greater feeling of comfort.It will pay for the cost of installing it with fuel savings, as less energy is required to achieve the same feeling of warmth. 90006 90004 Section through solid floor insulation with optional underfloor heating 90006 90004 If it is a suspended floor, always leave the floorboards in the room for a few weeks with the heating on before laying them to avoid the wood warping when in place. 90006 90077 90117 Find out more — visit a refurbished home 90118 90078 90004 You can find out more about floor insulation at green open house events in September.Speak to real homeowners as they share their personal experience of refurbishing their homes as part of SuperHome Open Days. SuperHomes are older homes refurbished by their owners for greater comfort, lower bills and far fewer carbon emissions — at least 60% less! Entry is free. Book now. 90006 90004 90117 Also see: 90118 90005 Boarding a loft over insulation 90005 Retrofit underfloor heating 90005 Insulating timber suspended floor 90006 90004 90117 Notes: 90118 90006 90004 90117 A U-value 90118 is the overall rate of energy transfer (in watts) through 1m 90010 2 90011 of a particular building element when the air temperatures on either side differ by 1ºC.The lower the U-value the better the material is at preventing either the loss of heat or penetration of cold. 90006 90004 90117 R-values ​​90118 are a measure of thermal resistance, and depend on the depth (d) of the insulation material divided by its thermal conductivity (λ or k-value): R = d / λ. It is measured in m 90010 2 90011 K / W. The thermal conductivity (λ or k-value) of an insulating material is given manufacturers. The thermal resistance of each component (as well as the resistances of cavities and surfaces) is used to calculate the overall thermal resistance or R-value for the entire structural element, in this case the floor.The U-value is the reciprocal of this R-value. 90006 90004 © David Thorpe, Manager of Green Deal Advice and author of Sustainable Home Refurbishment: The Earthscan Expert Guide to Retrofitting Homes for Efficiency 90006 90004 90006 .90000 Crawl Space Insulation Tips for Insulating Crawlspaces Properly 90001 90002 Crawlspace insulation — be careful to get it right 90003 90004 A crawlspace comes with all the downsides of a basement, but it is just too low a space to be functional either beyond the folded plastic christmas tree and a couple of boxes of baubles. Unless there is a good reason for it, going through the process of pouring a footing, then a concrete wall, then building a subfloor above and only be able to access it on your hands and knees is a lot of effort for the value you will get from that space.If you do not want a full basement, a great alternative is to build a slab-on-grade. 90005 90004 90007 Important note: The following crawlspace solutions are recommendations for how to deal with moisture and heat loss only, and provide only an anecdotal overview of how to deal with radon gas. We would recommend having your air tested for radon, and if it is above Health Canada’s recommended safe levels 90008 (90007 200 Bq 90008 / m³), ​​90007 please see our pages on 90012 radon gas mitigation in crawlspaces 90013.90008 90005 90002 Fixing a dirt floor crawlspace: 90003 90004 All too often a crawlspace will have nothing but a dirt floor, and probably some un-insulated walls. The result of that is an unending source of humidity as moisture in the ground evaporates into the air and can condense on cold walls and joists where mold can establish itself. 90005 90004 That dank air will inevitably be circulated throughout your home, providing humidity, mold spores and a pretty nasty smell that will be the dominating odour of your home, furnishings, and your clothes, so you will take that aroma everywhere you go.Rotten huh? 90005 90022 Crawlspace vapour barrier © Pescrawlspaces.com 90004 For those with nothing but a dirt floor, the single most important thing to do will not cost much — cut off the moisture supply to the air by laying down polyethylene directly on the ground. The standard 6 mil poly vapour barrier will work fine as a DIY solution. Do the best job you can and seal the joints, but remember — if you did nothing else beyond laying it down over most of the floor, even without taping or sealing it, you would reduce the amount of moisture in the air.If your crawlspace access is inconsistent and you can only hope to do 80% of it, do it anyway; you will notice a very big difference. 90005 90004 The 6 mil poly is far from being a complete crawlspace solution, but we’re putting that out there so as not to leave those with really tricky crawlspaces or tight budgets feeling dejected. This is not an ‘all or nothing’ situation where there is no point doing anything if you can not do it all — do as much as you can, it will help. 90005 90002 Insulating crawlspaces: 90003 90004 The best way to insulate a crawlspace would be to do it from the ground up and consider it just part of the conditioned space as you would with any basement.We make no secret of the fact that we are not huge fans of spray foam due to the emissions associated with it (with exceptions for eco-friendly spray foams) but this is one place where it can make a lot of sense. 90005 90004 Spray foam is done quickly, it has a high R-value, provides an air and moisture seal and fills all the tiny holes. This is not a DIY job so it will be among the more expensive options, but it will work well, and best of all … someone else will be slithering around in your crawlspace rather than you.Since it will act as a vapour barrier, there is no need to lay down poly ahead of time; it can go right against the dirt. 90005 90004 When it comes to insulating the walls, there are a couple of ways to go about this — Building Code requires any crawlspace more than 5 feet high to have fire protection covering any foam products, in which case you can frame a 2×4 or 2×6 wall 1 inch away from the concrete wall; sitting it on small chunks of foam will keep it from being in contact with the ground and absorbing moisture.Spray foam is then applied to the walls behind the studs and into the cavities, you can leave enough room to do any wiring if required. 90005 90035 Spray foam insulating basement walls © Bala Structures 90004 The foam needs to then be covered with drywall as fire protection, which can be attached to the stud wall. No vapour barrier is required in addition to spray foam. Building codes change and can vary by region, so confirm this locally, but currently The National Building Code in Canada for example allows foam insulation without fire protection on crawlspace walls that are less than 5 feet in height.90005 90004 An additional option, for walls only, that you can do yourself is to apply EPS foam boards directly to the concrete using either strapping and tap con screws, or an appropriate adhesive that is suitable for foam boards (it should say so on the tube ). EPS can be substituted with XPS foam, but given its much higher greenhouse gas emissions, we prefer to recommend EPS. XPS qualifies as a vapour barrier at 1 inch, and testing shows that EPS foam acts as a vapour barrier (1 perm) at 2 inches or thicker.90005 90040 Rock wool insulation batts on basement walls © Ecohome 90004 Rock wool (mineral wool) boards are an alternative product you can use and they are made from recycled stone dust, so it does not burn and does not need to be covered for fire protection. But mineral wool is not a vapour barrier, so it is best to apply a poly membrane against the concrete first. 90005 90004 90007 Note: Taped XPS foam is an air barrier, but EPS and mineral wool are not. Air does not leak through intact concrete but it is quite likely that crawlspace walls will leak air.If you have a stone foundation, old cracked concrete or cinderblocks, bringing the poly barrier up the wall and sealing it to the rim joists will provide you with an air barrier. 90008 90005 90002 Preparing a crawlspace for vapour barriers and insulation: 90003 90004 First clear the space as much as possible so you have room to move around. Ensure there will not be any problems with bulk water accumulation by installing a sump pump at the lowest point. Even if you’ve never had flooding in the past, that does not mean you will never have it in the future.We’ve never heard anyone say they regretted installing a sump pump. 90005 90004 Remove any sharp rocks and obvious obtrusions for a more even surface so that you will not tear the plastic as you walk on it. 90005 90002 Should you vent a crawlspace? 90003 90004 No, you should not. Drawing humid air into a cold crawlspace in summer or winter defeats the purpose of stopping the source of moisture. A moisture protected crawlspace will probably be quite cool in summer and should be less humid than outdoor air, so moisture can condense on the cold surfaces of wood and concrete.It’s better kept sealed up once you have dealt with moisture and air quality issues. Be sure to monitor the humidity levels once work is completed, you will likely need to include a dehumidifier to keep humidity down. 90005 90004 When shopping for a dehumidifier make sure it can be operated continuously with a drain hose, do not get one that needs to be manually emptied. They can easily fill up at least once in a day, and if you’re not there to empty it regularly it will stop working. 90005 90004 The volume of water that will be produced by a dehumidifier is not so great in quantity that it necessarily needs to be directed to a drain, which likely will not even exist in a crawlspace.You can have it set it up to drain right into a small pit in the dirt below the membrane and it will absorb back into the ground. 90005 90002 Removing radon gas from crawlspaces 90003 90004 We highly recommend getting your air tested for radon gas before beginning work to determine if any measures will be needed to protect your air quality. Air contaminated with radon gas is a serious health hazard and is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Please see our page on 90012 crawlspace radon mitigation 90013 for more information.90005 .90000 Timber choices for Wood Frame Construction of Homes 90001 90002 Framing lumber choices for building homes 90003 90004 90005 Framing lumber, also known as structural wood, is the grade of wood used for house framing 90006 (studs, Larsen Trusses for Double-Stud walls, headers, roof trusses and floor joists, etc. as well as in timber frame construction) . Its technical characteristics make it perfectly suitable when large spans are necessary. The list below outlines the different types of wood used as framing lumber most commonly used for house construction and increasingly in timber frames for multi-family low to mid-rise construction throughout the US and Canada.90007 90008 90005 Standard SPF (spruce-pine-fir) lumber — Softwood wood choices: 90006 90011 90012 90013 90005 Light structural lumber 90006 is mainly used in the residential construction of single family homes. This timber is milled from softwood trees (spruce, fir and pine) that are sawn and machine-planed to standard dimensions (2×4 «, 2×6», 2×8 «, etc.). Wood as a framing material is advantageous in that it doesn ‘ t undergo much transformation during processing, it has a low embodied energy, it’s a renewable resource and it stores carbon.90016 90013 90005 Heavy timber 90006 refers to any dimensional lumber over 4.5 «and is often used for post-and-beam construction or timber frame homes. Large dimensions of wood can support heavy loads and facilitate long spans, in addition to being surprisingly fire resistant. 90016 90013 90005 Finger-jointed lumber 90006 (also known as end-jointed and end-glued) is manufactured using short, dry pieces of wood that have been machined on each end and joined using a water repellent structural adhesive.This technique is ecologically beneficial, as it makes use of short pieces of wood to create a finished product that is larger, more stable and easier to align, and is often combined with Glulam and CLT type products to make substantial timber structural elements for «Plyscrapers «etc — (see below). 90016 90025 90008 90027 T 90028 he real dimensions of light structural lumber and 90005 timber for framing homes: 90006 90011 90004 A constant source of confusion amongst DIY Home builders is lumber sizes, as commercially available 90005 2×4 «is actually 1.5 «x 3.5» 90006, a 90005 2×6 is actually 1.5 «x 5.5» 90006. The general rule of thumb: any width listed as 2 «will actually be 1.5» and as for the depth, actual dimensions are .5 «less. The reason for this is planing; some true dimensions can be found at lumber yards, referred to as ‘rough’ lumber or «rough sawn» as they are unplaned wood. 90007 90038 90039 90040 90039 90040 90043 90044 90045 Dimensional Lumber: Nominal Size vs. Actual Size 90046 90047 90048 90049 90044 90051 90005 Nominal Size 90006 90054 90051 90005 Actual Size 90006 90054 90047 90044 90051 Two-by-four or 2 x 4 90054 90051 1 1/2 inches x 3 1/2 inches 90054 90047 90044 90051 Two-by-six or 2 x 6 90054 90051 1 1/2 inches x 5 1/2 inches 90054 90047 90044 90051 Two-by-eight or 2 x 8 90054 90051 1 1/2 inches x 7 1/4 inches 90054 90047 90044 90051 Two-by-ten or 2 x 10 90054 90051 1 1/2 inches x 9 1/4 inches 90054 90047 90044 90051 One-by-two or 1 x 2 90054 90051 3/4-inch x 1 1/2 inches 90054 90047 90044 90051 One-by-three or 1 x 3 90054 90051 3/4-inch x 2 1/2 inches 90054 90047 90044 90051 One-by-four or 1 x 4 90054 90051 3/4-inch x 3 1/2 inches 90054 90047 90102 90103 90004 Here’s another confusing anomoly when looking at choosing wood for framing, Canadian Lumber Standard timber commonly referred to as CLS wood timber became popular in Canada for building strong and durable timber-framed homes but is rarely referred to as CLS lumber in North America.This timber is usually manufactured from kiln-dried fir, pine, or spruce. It is then treated, planed, and finally finished with rounded edges to create accurate and precise tolerances. This type of wood is known to provide aesthetically pleasing finishes and facilitate easier and comfortable application of paint, stains, and preservatives & in recent years CLS timber has become popular in the United Kingdom and Europe where it is mainly used in timber-frame construction, internal partitioning, framing, and carcassing.This wood is also ideal for internal stud walling since it is surfaced on all of its four sides and it has rounded corners. The CLS timber is produced in a wide range of sizes that suit various uses. This product has also been machined on all of its four faces and edges to create beautiful finishes — very unlike the rough-sawn timber usually found in Europe. 90007 90008 90005 Grading Wood in Uk & Europe 90006 90011 90004 The CLS timber is usually graded in respect to its strength in strict conformity to the British Standard EN 14081-1: 2005.This wood can be graded as either C16 or C24. The C24 is the stronger grade, but both categories tend to have a similar physical appearance. 90007 90004 90007 90004 90115 90116 90007 90008 90005 Engineered wood products for framing homes 90006 90011 90004 Engineered wood requires more processing than standard wood. As may be expected, engineered wood is more expensive than the types described above, and has a higher embodied energy given that it undergoes multiple transformations.Even so, it has many technical and ecological advantages: it can be very strong and facilitate large spans without requiring large trees and environmentally speaking wood framing has a lower embodied carbon footprint than concrete. 90007 90124 Open web floor joists are ideal in covered timber frame construction © Draesel Construction of Calgary 90004 90007 90004 Engineered lumber products for construction also make use of short pieces of wood that might otherwise be heading for a landfill, so as soon as you need something larger than 2×8 «, opt for engineered wood products whenever possible as they are also usually more stable in the long term.90007 90004 In many cases, the added cost you may incur from choosing engineered wood will be recouped through significant labour savings. Engineered framing materials are straight and consistent — compare this to a 2×8 «or 2×10» which in any given pile may have discrepancies of 3/8 «or more from the largest to the smallest. In order to build a straight floor for example, some pieces will need to be shimmed and others will need to be shaved, and that takes a lot of time. 90007 90004 If you did not get your money back from a quicker installation of open-web floor joists, you certainly will when your electrician and plumber easily pass wires and pipes through existing openings rather than drilling a thousand holes through solid floor joists like in the image below.90007 90133 Wiring through solid wood floor joists is time consuming © Ecohome 90004 90007 90004 Here are the different types of engineered wood products used in home construction across the US & Canada and their main characteristics. 90007 90008 90005 Glulam or Glued Laminated Timber 90006 90011 90004 90005 Glulam is a multi-layered type of wood 90006 that is manufactured using several thicknesses of thin pieces of solid wood held together with mildew-resistant phenol glues which emit a very small amount of toxic chemicals.In North America, the material providing the laminations is termed laminating stock or lamstock and the first U.S. manufacturing standard for glulam was published by the Department of Commerce in 1963. This process makes it possible to produce posts and beams that are strong and well suited for wide spans.Because glulam is strong and very easy to work with, it is often used in roof framing but is finding more and more applications in structural elements of buildings. Some notable uses of glulam beams in the US and Canada include: 90007 90004 90005 Eastern Kentucky University’s Alumni Coliseum, US, 90006 was 90005 90006 built in тисячі дев’ятсот шістьдесят три with the world’s largest glued laminated arches, which span 308 feet, 3 1/2 inches.90007 90004 90005 The roof of the Richmond Olympic Oval, BC Canada 90006, built for speed skating events at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, features one of the world’s largest clearspan wooden structures. The roof includes 2,400 cubic metres of Douglas fir lamstock lumber in glulam beams. A total of 34 yellow-cedar glulam posts support the overhangs where the roof extends beyond the walls. 90007 90004 90005 Anaheim ICE, located in Anaheim California, US, 90006 is also an example of using Glulam manufactured timber products.Disney Development Company wanted to build an aesthetically pleasing ice rink with reduced cost, and glulam was one of the most qualified materials. Architect Frank Gehry suggested a design with large double-curved Yellow pine glulam beams, and the ice rink was constructed in 1995. 90007 90004 90005 Glulam bridge crossing Montmorency River Quebec, Canada. 90006 Pressure-treated glulam timbers or timbers manufactured from naturally durable wood species are well suited for creating bridges. Wood’s ability to absorb impacts created by traffic and its natural resistance to chemicals like those used for de-icing roadways, make it ideal for these uses especially in cold climate zones.Glulam has been successfully used for pedestrian, forest, highway, and railway bridges. Other examples in North America of glulam bridges are Keystone Wye, South Dakota, constructed in 1967 and The Kingsway Pedestrian Bridge in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. 90007 90004 90005 Glulam is also used for the construction of multi-use facilities 90006 such as churches, school buildings, and libraries, and the Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland, California, is a beautiful example of glulam beams combining ecological and aesthetic considerations.90007 90004 90005 Plyscrapers 90006 are another possible use for glulam, with Vancouver’s 18-storey Brock Commons tower standing as a testament to the vast possibilities of timber in construction. Once the world’s tallest timber framed building, it was built cheaper, faster and with less environmental impact than a comparable steel and concrete structure would have been — offsetting an estimated 2,432 metric tonnes of embodied carbon. Vancouver is now pushing even those limits by unveiling plans for the Canada Earth Tower, an massive 40-storey tower that would be the world’s tallest wooden building, although the structure would be predominantly made out of fire-resistant wood 90005 cross-laminated timber ( CLT) 90006.Floor plates, structural columns, and exteriors will use wood materials. 90007 90174 Cross-laminated timber is stable and Green especially if FSC approved 90004 90007 90008 90005 Cross-laminated timber (CLT) 90006 90011 90004 90005 CLT is manufactured using many sheets of wood stacked on top of each other and then glued 90006 together. Each layer is oriented crosswise to the next, which makes for extremely stable and strong panels. Having established itself on the European market over the past twenty years, CLT has only recently become available in North America.This type of wood has excellent thermal and acoustic properties, is highly resistant to fire, and provides exceptional structural strength. CLT can be used to build load-bearing walls, floors and roofs. To date, it has mainly been used in residential construction, but tall wood buildings (between 5 and 10 stories), encouraged by changes in building code in relation to timber use in tall buildings, are now starting to pop up all over the world with over 500 mid to high rise timber buildings under construction across Canada alone in 2019-2020.90007 90185 OSB exterior sheathing with foam attached © Ecohome 90004 90007 90004 90005 OSB (Oriented Strand Board) 90006 90007 90004 90005 Also known as Aspenite, OSB is a panel fabricated using small strips of wood 90006. OSB is not as strong as plywood, or as resistant to weather, but it is a lower cost alternative to plywood. It is most often used as exterior sheathing, as well as being the centre web of engineered wooden I-Joists. OSB makes use of small pieces of waste wood and is bonded using a phenol formaldehyde, a far less toxic substitute for the urea formaldehyde of days past.All that to say, it certainly will not improve the air quality of your home, but it is generally not thought to be too great a health hazard. Did you also know that OSB sheathing can be used as a vapor barrier in homes? See here. 90007 90196 Hardwood veneer plywood © Columbia Forest Products 90004 90007 90008 90005 Plywood 90006 90011 90004 90005 Plywood is most commonly found as a 4 x 8 ‘panel that is made from thin sheets of wood veneer 90006 that are bonded together using phenol formaldehyde glues, although certain manufacturers are leading the way with formaldehyde-free plywood products.Plywood is used for different structural elements such as studs in load-bearing walls, partitions, floor beams and roof supports. It is assembled with the grain of each layer running in the opposite direction of the previous one, making a very stable and strong final product that is highly resistant to cracking, twisting and shrinkage. Plywood is commonly used on residential construction sites as a flooring substrate, exterior wall and roof sheathing, as well as certain interior finishing applications and furniture.90007 90004 One thing to bear in mind with all engineered wood products in homes is that it’s at greater risk of moisture damage than solid timber used for framing and structural elements, for example 90005 Polyethylene vapor barriers in combination with OSB & air conditioning in homes can rot walls learn more here. 90006 90007 90008 Before deciding which lumber to use when framing a house, learn 90005 which is better OSB or plywood for walls, roofs & Floors here 90006 90011 90002 Interior finishing wood 90003 90004 Mouldings for interior finishing can be made of all sorts of materials.Solid wood is one option (pine, oak, maple or yellow birch). It is still rather expensive but it has the advantage of being a durable material that does not require harmful adhesives. 90005 MDF 90006 mouldings (Medium Density Fibreboard) are more reasonably priced and made largely of waste wood products, but they are fairly heavily ladden with toxic adhesives. Solid wood products with Zero VOC finishes will go a long way to helping you keep clean indoor air quality, though other eco-friendly alternatives to MDF are becoming available, such as formaldehyde-free MDF made from rice husks.90007 90002 Timber for Exterior Siding & Finishing of Homes 90003 90012 90013 90005 Pros of Wood Siding: 90006 It makes for a great looking traditional finish to the siding on a home. Certainly with FSC wood siding, extraction & manufacturing can be sustainable, and very little pollution is generated in production and manufacturing. Wood is abundantly available to us in Canada & North America, provided that forests are managed properly. 90016 90013 90005 Cons of Wood Siding: 90006 It is not the most durable choice to protect your home from weather, and clearly wood siding is not the best for fire resistance.Wood can be susceptible to damage from insects and rodents, as well as mold and rot from moisture & humidity. 90016 90013 90005 Cost of wood siding: 90006 $ 8 to $ 20 per square foot installed, depending on type of wood, style and the complexity of the job. 90016 90013 90005 Expected siding lifespan: 90006 Durability of 90005 90006 40 to 55 years if the wood siding is regularily & carefully maintained 90016 90025 90004 Note: There are companies that offer pre-painted wood siding products, a quality that you can not match on a ladder with a brush.Several coats of paint are applied, to both sides, so your job is simply to cut the siding to length, paint the ends, and install it. A reputable company will give your siding a warranty up around 15 years, and potentially up to 30 years if you apply a coat of paint within that first 15 years. 90007 90004 If you prefer to paint your wood siding yourself, it will be a lot easier (and a better quality) if you do it on the ground before installation. It will require significant space to paint, but also the time to build drying racks for your siding to sit on while the paint finish is drying off.To see more about choosing the best siding for your house, see here 90007 90002 Wooden Furniture 90003 90004 Regardless of the type of wood that is used, furniture for use inside the home should ideally be free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including formaldehyde, to protect your indoor air quality. For finishings and maintenance — again to protect your air quality — look for zero VOC paints and finishes. 90007 90008 Now you read about 90005 the best lumber choices for framing homes 90006, learn more about 90005 framing timber for homes 90006 in the specific 90005 Guide Section devoted to Wood & Organic Materials for high efficiency home construction here, 90006 or read all about 90005 eco -friendly Hemp Furniture Board here 90006, or check out our 90005 Guide page about wood-frame construction 90006 or even find out about beautiful 90005 Shou sugi ban carbonized wood exterior cladding here 90006 from the EcoHome 90005 Green Building Guides 90006 90011 90004 90007 90004 90007 .