To understand why it is necessary to insulate the ceiling of a cold attic, let’s clarify a little why an attic is needed in a private house and what its purpose is. Our ancestors built houses that could last for more than 100 years, while it was warm inside, and wooden structure the roof always remained dry.

Previously, they mainly built gable roofs with a slight slope of the slopes. This was done so that snow could remain on the roof in winter. Thus, snow was used as a natural insulation. One or two windows were made in the attic and kept closed in winter so that the trapped air acted as a heat insulator. In the summer, a slightly different situation occurred. Attic windows they were opened at night so that the air cooled, and during the day, in hot weather, they were closed so that the air did not heat up too much, thus regulating its temperature.

When snow fell in winter, it fell as a continuous cover on the roof, simultaneously becoming a natural insulation. Even in severe frosts, the temperature in the attic did not drop below zero. Thus, the air in the attic and the insulation of the ceiling made it possible to maintain the temperature in the house at +20-25 °C. The roof slopes were not insulated to prevent the snow lying on the roof from melting. The rafter system remained open, allowing it to be inspected and repaired if necessary. Therefore, in a cold attic, only the ceiling is insulated.

If the roof slopes are insulated, then the attic becomes a heated room, i.e. an attic, which has a completely different functional purpose.

Now it remains to find out how to insulate the attic floor in a private house, and what materials are used for thermal insulation.

Materials for insulating attic floors

There is a wide range of insulation materials on the market. To make a choice, it is necessary to take into account the conditions in which it will be used. thermal insulation material :

1. The material must retain its properties when temperature conditions from -30 to +30 °C. It should not freeze in severe frosts and should not emit harmful substances in hot weather.
2. It is necessary to choose fire-resistant insulation if there is electrical wiring in the attic.
3. It is better to choose a moisture-resistant material so that when wet it does not lose its thermal insulation properties.
4. The insulation should not quickly cake in order to fulfill its purpose for as long as possible.

Before deciding on the type of material for insulating the floor of a cold attic in a private house, you need to consider what material the ceiling is made of. If the attic floor is made of wooden beams, then you can use slab, roll and bulk insulation. In the case where the attic floor is made of concrete slabs, they resort to the use of heavy bulk or dense slab heat insulators. Their use makes it possible to do cement screed on the floor.

Materials produced in slab and mat formats:

• mineral wool (mineral wool) in mats;
• foam;
• extruded polystyrene foam;
• seaweed;
• straw.

Roll insulation:

• mineral wool;
• glass wool;
• stone wool;
• seaweed ladders;

Bulk materials for attic floor insulation:

• expanded clay;
• ecowool;
• reed;
• sawdust;
• straw;
• slag;
• buckwheat tyrsa;
• foam granules.

Insulation of attic floors wooden house must be made with environmentally friendly, natural and breathable material.

How to properly insulate an attic floor with mineral wool

Mineral wool is a common and modern heat insulator. Available in rolls or slabs (mats). Does not rot or burn, rodents and various kinds Microorganisms are also not scary for her.

Insulating the ceiling of a cold attic with mineral wool begins with laying lining material on the floor. For budget option glassine is laid on the floor, but it is more expensive and quality option– flooring made of vapor barrier film. The film is laid with an overlap, and the joints are taped or secured with wooden slats, which are fixed with a construction stapler.

The width of the insulation is selected based on the requirements of thermal engineering standards for each region. Mineral wool is placed between the joists tightly and without gaps. The joints are taped with tape. After the insulation is laid, level boards are simply laid on the joists, thus forming the floor in the attic. This simple solution for creating a floor allows the mineral wool to “breathe” and ventilate normally if it gets wet. To prevent moisture from entering the mineral wool, waterproofing material is laid under the roof.

Mineral wool is laid in means personal protection: thick clothing, glasses, gloves, respirator.

Insulation of attic floor slabs with extruded polystyrene foam

Expanded polystyrene or polystyrene foam are not very dense materials, so they are used when the attic floor is a structure made of joists and beams. If thermal insulation of the slabs is necessary, insulation of the cold attic floor with extruded polystyrene foam is used. This material is stronger and therefore denser than regular foam. Before laying it, the surface of the slabs should be leveled. There is no need for vapor barrier on the warm side of the floor, since concrete slabs have almost no vapor permeability.

To aligned concrete slabs lay a vapor barrier film. Next, slabs of extruded polystyrene foam are laid in checkerboard pattern. The joints are blown out polyurethane foam. After the foam has dried and hardened, the insulating boards are poured concrete mortar 4-6 cm thick. When the screed is dry, it is already suitable for use as a floor. Although you can go further and put any flooring.

Thermal insulation of a cold attic with ecowool

Ecowool is a cellulose, lightweight and loose insulation material, consisting mainly of waste paper and newspapers. Other ingredients are borax and boric acid are used as flame retardants.

Before insulation, it is necessary to place a film on the floor. The procedure for laying ecowool occurs using a special blowing installation. The insulation layer is applied as a continuous cover, without creating cracks. Since ecowool contains large number air, then a layer of 250-300 mm is usually enough.

Do not forget that over time, the material will shrink. Therefore, apply a layer of ecowool 40-50 mm more.

After the insulation of the cold attic floor with ecowool is completed, it must be moistened. You can do this with plain water or prepare a solution of 200 grams. PVA glue on a bucket of water. Soak a regular broom in this solution and moisten the cotton well. After drying, a crust forms on the surface of the cotton wool - lingin, which will not allow the cotton wool to move.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to insulate the floor in the attic. Which one to use depends on each specific situation. The main thing is to comply the right technology laying thermal insulation! Then your home will always be warm, and the materials used will last for many years.

When insulating a house, you must definitely pay attention to the laws of physics. According to them, the air heated in the rooms will rise to the ceiling. If the attic is not insulated enough, the heat will escape outside, and this whole process can be called heat loss.

In order not to heat the street and retain more heat in the house, it is necessary to insulate the ceiling. If you still don’t know whether it’s worth doing this work, then you should take into account that 25 to 40% goes through the roof. This data is especially relevant for houses with cold roofs.

Thermal insulation of the ceiling will perform three functions at once, which are necessary to create a comfortable microclimate. The material will soundproof, which will keep the house quiet during wind and rain. IN winter period insulation will eliminate heat loss and through which heated air can freely escape outside. Thermal insulation is also needed in the summer heat, because with its help you can create a barrier against heated air. Even in the hottest weather, the inside of the house will remain cool.

Material selection

If you are planning to insulate the ceiling of a cold attic, then you need to understand the variety of materials. The insulation option you choose should be able to withstand a wide range of temperatures ranging from -30 to +30 °C. It should not freeze at low temperatures and release harmful substances when heated. It is important to purchase fire-resistant thermal insulation. This is true for electrical wiring.

It is better if the insulation is moisture resistant so that it does not lose its properties when wet. It should not cake quickly in order to fulfill its purpose for as long as possible. Insulation of the ceiling of a cold attic can be carried out using rolls, slabs or this is true for a floor made of wooden beams. Whereas if you have to work with concrete slabs, then you should purchase bulk or slab materials.

Today the following are produced as mats and slabs:

• foam;
• seaweed;
• mineral wool;
• extruded polystyrene foam;
• straw.

As for roll insulation, they are offered for sale in the following varieties:

• stone wool;
• mineral wool;
• glass wool;
• algae ladders.

When choosing bulk materials for insulating the ceiling of a cold attic, you may prefer:

• expanded clay;
• reed;
• straw;
• buckwheat tyrsa;
• ecowool;
• sawdust;
• slag;
• foam granules.

Features of insulation with mineral wool

Using basalt wool

Basalt insulation is made from gabbro-basalt rocks and acts as the best option for thermal insulation of the ceiling on the attic side. The fibers of this material are more flexible and therefore not so brittle. They are well compressed into mats that have sufficient strength.

When you decide to insulate the ceiling of a cold attic with basalt wool, you have at your disposal a material that copes well with the influence of external factors, and therefore can be laid on the side of an unheated room. Insulation is sold in slabs or rolls, which can have different densities. Sometimes there is a foil layer on one side, which can enhance the insulating effect, because the heat will be reflected into the room.

About the dangers of mineral wool

All mineral wools have one general disadvantage, which is expressed in binder, consisting of phenol-formaldehyde resins. During operation, they are constantly released into the air, which can be hazardous to human health. Therefore, this thermal insulation cannot be considered completely environmentally safe. Basalt wool is laid according to the same principle as mineral wool.

Use of extruded polystyrene foam

Expanded polystyrene, also called polystyrene foam, is not a very dense material. It can be used when the floor is made of beams and joists. Extruded polystyrene foam is stronger and denser than regular foam. Before laying it, the surface is leveled.

There is no need to lay a vapor barrier on the warm side of the floor, because concrete slabs have almost no vapor permeability. Insulation concrete floor a cold attic involves laying a vapor barrier film. The next layer is insulation boards, which are arranged in a checkerboard pattern. The joints are filled with polyurethane foam. As soon as it dries and hardens, the canvases are filled with concrete mortar up to a thickness of 6 cm. After the screed has dried, it can be used as a floor. Flooring can be laid on the surface.

Using penoplex

If you insulate the attic, this will not only increase the service life rafter system, but also roofing, and will also increase the level of thermal protection of residential premises under the attic. Insulating the ceiling of a cold attic with penoplex has replaced other technologies that were used quite widely in construction. IN in this case We are talking about the use of glass wool, expanded clay and sea grass.

Modern choice - “Penoplex panel”

In conditions rural areas the floor of the unheated attic is still insulated with clay and wood shavings. Today we offer for sale the Penoplex panel, which is specially designed for cold attics. If you neglect the work on thermal insulation of the room above the living space, this may cause the insulation to get wet, which occurs due to condensation. Sometimes, under appropriate conditions, the roof structure begins to collapse altogether, which is especially important when there is constant dampness.

Should I use metal fasteners?

When the attic floor is not insulated, icicles and frost constantly form. Large heat losses were mentioned above; they are caused by a weak level of thermal protection. When developing a scheme for insulating the ceiling of a cold attic using penoplex, you must take into account the features of how the ceiling units will be connected to the thermal insulation. The manufacturer does not recommend the use of metal fasteners, because they contribute to the formation of cold bridges, which reduces the level of thermal protection.

To create a heat-insulating cake, a leveling screed is laid on the floors. Next, a vapor barrier in the form of polyethylene is laid. The next layer will be penoplex. We should not forget about the presence of a separating layer in the form of polyethylene. At the last stage, a cement-sand screed is poured.

Insulating the ceiling of a cold attic may involve working with sheet material in the form of plywood or OSB. In this case, a vapor barrier is laid on the surface, wooden beams and foam insulation. You can cover it with sheet material in the form of gypsum fiber board or fiber board.

In conclusion

Insulating a cold attic allows you to create a boundary between cold and heat. Due to the formation of condensation in the attic floor area, appropriate conditions arise that can contribute to significant heat loss. Proper insulation overlap allows you to create a barrier with a low degree of thermal conductivity.

The desire to expand the living space in a private house often comes to mind for private developers. One of the most economical and simple ways– make the attic habitable. To realize this opportunity, it is necessary to correctly design and calculate all future structural elements, forming the attic space.

The main steps in creating a residential attic

Before you begin the direct actions associated with remodeling the attic space with your own hands, you need to draw up a plan. It should include all the main activities related to the arrangement of a residential attic.

The list of main stages includes the following components:

DIY attic floor

When converting an attic into a living space, it may turn out that the heat insulator located in the ceiling has become unusable and lost its thermal insulation properties. The reasons for loss of performance can be very different: from local leaks to poor ventilation attic and, as a result, wetting of the insulation from the condensation formed. Damp, rotting boards can also cause the entire floor to be refinished.

Remodeling the ceiling begins with installing additional sheathing between the floor beams. Most often, pine beams are used as lathing, which are secured perpendicular to the beams using metal corners or others in a convenient way. To prevent the penetration of condensate from the lower room, a layer of vapor barrier membrane is laid. Stone wool slabs are often used as insulation, which, depending on the required thickness, can be laid in two layers.

When laying heat insulation in two layers, the joints should not be located at the same level. The insulation is laid in a checkerboard pattern.

A second layer of vapor barrier is laid on top of the slabs. The membrane is secured using a construction stapler. The basis for the subfloor can be slabs made of tongue-and-groove moisture-resistant chipboard. They are stiffer and stronger than conventional slabs, and are also environmentally friendly. Thanks to the longitudinal projections and grooves, installing the slabs is easy and convenient, and the surface is perfectly flat. For the finished floor, laminate or linoleum is used.

Thermal insulation of the roof in the attic

Roof insulation is most important stage. When doing thermal insulation with your own hands, you need to perform a thermal calculation to select the thickness of the heat insulator. The most commonly used are ready-made tables and climate maps to select the thickness of the insulation. For pitched roofs use basalt materials with a density of at least 35 kg/m3. This minimum density is necessary to retain the insulation when it is spread between the rafters.

The steeper the roof slopes, the denser the insulation you need to use.

A vapor barrier film is laid on the side of the room. On the roof side, it is better to put a superdiffusion membrane on the insulation, which allows moisture to pass through from the heat insulator.

Over time, many owners of private houses have the idea of ​​​​converting the attic into a living space. And for this it is necessary, first of all, to install the floor in the attic, as well as insulate the roof. In order to do everything correctly, you will have to carry out a series of calculations and design the position of the elements, and then install the structures.

Stages of work

First, let's look at all the stages of work that have to be performed in the attic, among them the following is noted:

1. The first step is planning the premises.
2. The second stage is the calculation of finances, which will also be decisive in the choice of materials and structures.
3. Next, you need to thoroughly clean everything in the attic.
4. The next step is measurements.
5. Now it is necessary to inspect the floor covering and the integrity of the rafter system.
6. The next step will be to arrange all the necessary communications.
7. And finally, the installation of a subfloor, as well as thermal insulation, which we will talk about in more detail.
8. Upon completion of the previous stage, internal and external finishing work is carried out.
9. And the last stage of the device is the arrangement of the living space (furniture, etc.).

Let's look at each stage in a little more detail.

Planning

The first and fundamental stage of the work is the planning of the future premises. After all, the structure of the floor, the need for insulation and strengthening will depend on it.

To complete this stage, it is better to seek the help of specialists. By doing it yourself, you can make mistakes that will have a detrimental effect on the final result.

If you want to do everything yourself, then you should take everything into account design features buildings. Moreover, consider all the load-bearing capabilities of the ceiling so as not to overload it, which could lead to the collapse of the ceiling.

Calculating finances

This stage should be extremely clear to everyone. Depending on financial capabilities, the premises will be equipped differently.

It becomes fundamental to clearly calculate what will need to be purchased; the most important are the elements of strengthening, insulation and primary finishing. Finish coatings They can wait, but the initial work on installing the floor and roof must be completed immediately.

Cleaning the space

This stage can be attributed to preliminary preparation premises for work.

As you know, it is usually used to store old things, or items that are used extremely rarely. All this must be thoroughly removed and the room cleared of dust and other debris.

Everything must be done carefully, since there may be nails sticking out in the rafter system, which can cause injury. Moreover, the injuries can be very serious.

Measurements and calculations

It is necessary to carefully measure the entire area of ​​the attic, its height, etc. Here you must first of all understand that the entire area will not be used, since part of it is inaccessible due to the roof slopes. But nevertheless, it is necessary to install insulation and rough covering throughout the entire area.

Coverage analysis

At this stage, it becomes fundamental to fully inspect all the coverings and structures of the attic.

If there are any damages or malfunctions, they must be eliminated before starting work.

The most important process when arranging an attic is determining the dew point of the roof. If the insulation is done incorrectly or with the wrong materials, then a bouquet will form.

In some cases, it may be necessary to dismantle the roof and the rafter system itself to install a new one. It may also be necessary to replace the ceilings. Therefore, it is worth paying special attention to the analysis of the state of surfaces.

Laying communications

If necessary, a pipeline, ventilation and heating installation are installed in the room. If any of these communication systems are expected in the room, you can familiarize yourself with the technologies for their installation in separate materials.

One of the most important points It is the arrangement of the floor that becomes the issue. And it’s worth considering all the features of its installation. It is worth noting that load-bearing elements are beams and joists, which are usually made from coniferous species tree.

The entire device process will be carried out as follows:

Now that the rough floor covering is ready, it is necessary to provide for the installation of the ceiling and insulation of the roof.

Roof insulation

This stage is somewhat similar to the previous one, it is carried out as follows:

At this point, the work on preparing the floor and roof is completed, and you can proceed to the next stages of work, namely finishing premises, and subsequently the arrangement of furniture.

Completion

After the installation of the floor in the attic has been carried out, as well as the insulation of the roof, the finishing and furnishing of the room is done in accordance with its choice, which can be as varied as possible. We invite you to watch several videos that will help you choose an option for arranging your attic, and will also clearly show you how to install a floor in the attic.

Insulation of the attic floor concerns to a greater extent cold rooms that are not used as residential, that is, with uninsulated roofing system And natural ventilation. In such cases attic floor becomes a kind of boundary between heat and cold, where the probability of condensation moisture formation is especially high. It’s interesting that you can easily handle such a responsible job yourself.

Why do you need to insulate your attic?

To install the roof slope, you need to adhere to a certain angle of inclination. It is formed between the rafters and the floor beams located on the upper part of the walls of the house. They form the floor of the attic. To carry out technical work A boardwalk is installed underneath them.

Timely insulation of the attic floor of a house is necessary for the following:

• Reducing heat losses through the upper ceiling. Warm air rises, so the ceiling of the top floor of the house should be as insulated as possible from the air of an unheated attic. Good thermal insulation allows you to maintain a temperature in living areas around the dew point. The result of any violations will be condensation formed on the ceiling, and in just a few weeks there will be a need to repair it.
• Waterproofing. The correct configuration of the heat-insulating layer implies mandatory installation waterproofing materials. If a roof leak occurs, moisture should not penetrate into the living room.
• The difference in temperature in the areas where the ceilings and walls meet becomes a decisive factor for the occurrence of mold and microscopic fungi - the causative agents of various allergic diseases.

In essence, this is the arrangement of a durable and durable coating made of thermal insulation material with low thermal conductivity.

Attention

Material of dubious quality or non-compliance with technology can lead to tragic consequences.

Requirements for attic insulation

Insulation of the attic floor of a house, its quality, significantly affects not only heat loss, but also the durability of the rafter system and roof covering. Water vapor from internal warm rooms diffuse intensively into the attic, but, as is known, in order for the insulation to provide the calculated thermal insulation efficiency, it must be dry. Therefore, it is protected from moisture vapor warm air, laying vapor-proof material on the “warm” side.

Good vapor and heat insulation, in addition to thermal protection, helps to increase the durability of the roofing structure. Indeed, in the absence of a vapor barrier, water vapor penetrates through the ceiling into the attic, condenses from the attic side on the surface of the roof covering and flows down onto the rafters. As a result metal coatings and parts corrode and collapse wooden rafters and roofing pie.

The thermal insulation properties of the structure are also reduced due to a violation of the tightness of the vapor barrier layer.

Dry the layer and remove moisture from attic space Its ventilation through vents helps: ridge, eaves, as well as slatted and dormer windows. To ensure optimal ventilation intensity, the total area of ​​the ventilation openings should be about 0.2–0.5% of the attic floor.

Properly carried out work prevents the intensive formation of icicles on the roof. After all, how do icicles appear? If it is poorly insulated, the heat passing through it begins to warm up the roof, melting the snow lying on it. The resulting water, flowing down the roof, freezes and turns into icicles.

Insulation of the attic floor is almost always carried out not from the side of the living space, but from the attic floor. Performed in several ways. The choice of technology depends on constructive solution structure and insulation used.

Insulation of beam floors

An option for retaining heat in such a structure is between the beams. Usually, their height is enough for this, but if there is not enough, you can fill a block on top. The ceiling from below is covered with molded material, say, clapboard or sheets of plasterboard, and the attic subfloor covering is laid on top of the beams: sheets of plywood, OSB boards, MDF, etc.

The insulation must be laid on a layer of special vapor barrier or polyethylene film.

Note

If the material is foil, then lay it down with the shiny side.

The gap between the beams is then filled with insulation of the required thickness. It is recommended to lay an additional layer of insulation on top of the beams, this will help avoid “cold bridges” and reduce possible heat loss

If high-quality, well-processed timber is used for the beams, then the finishing, say, massive board, laid directly on the beams. The insulation is placed between them, and the attic floor covering is laid on top. This technology is quite common in houses made of rounded logs or timber.

Light fibrous materials are blown by air currents and drafts, that is, heat is removed from them. These troubles, of course, can be avoided if protection is provided with windproof, vapor-permeable materials. Thus, the thermal protection of the attic is improved. Moreover, the insulation is protected from moisture droplets. Let's say the roof has minor damage and minor leaks.

The insulation must be protected from the wind and from the eaves side. For this, slabs of high-density mineral wool or a wooden board left on edge are usually used.

Partial penetration of thermal insulation onto the external wall will ensure complete heat retention of the house.

What insulation materials are most often used

The installation technology is practically no different from the traditional floor-mounted one for a living space. It is important to choose the right material for making the heat insulator. IN lately Most often, attic floor insulation is done with mineral wool.

Why mineral wool?

This is a heat-insulating material made from basalt rocks of volcanic origin. They pass heat treatment in a special oven drum type. During this process, the molten mass swells and stretches into fibers. To form a dense material, they are processed with special binding materials.

As a result, a material unique in its properties is formed, which is successfully used to insulate attic floors. For an objective analysis, it can be compared with other types of heat insulators - and.

• Thermal insulation. The heat transfer coefficient for mineral wool is 0.035 W/m*K. For foam plastic it is slightly higher - 0.04 W/m*K. Worst performance for expanded clay - 0.4 W/m*k.
• Hygroscopicity. Foam plastic does not allow moisture to pass through, so if you isolate the joints during installation, you do not need to use an additional waterproofing layer. Mineral wool is hygroscopic - it absorbs moisture. But this does not lead to its swelling. Expanded clay also slightly absorbs moisture.
• Flammability. In this regard basalt insulation — ideal option. It does not burn, and its structure melts when exposed to a temperature of 700°C. This quality is very important - a chimney passes through the attic, the surface temperature of which can reach high values. Polystyrene foam, when burned, releases substances harmful to humans.

Mineral wool can be used to insulate almost any surface, even uneven ones. It is produced in soft slabs or rolls. It is advisable to use a material that has a metallized heat-reflecting surface. Mineral wool is cut using an ordinary knife. Place it tightly between the beams, without jamming, without gaps. This is an inexpensive, but durable and effective option.

The work requires some precautions: glasses, gloves, and those with allergies are advised to use respirators.

The layers are laid in the same sequence:

• vapor barrier;
• mineral wool;
• vapor-permeable moisture-proof membrane.

The floor film is spread overlapping, and the joints must be either glued or secured through wooden slats staples using a construction stapler. The thickness of the layer is selected based on thermal engineering standards for each specific region.

Note

Insulating and soundproofing the floor with cotton wool materials is considered the simplest and most effective solution.

Stone wool

Mineral wool slabs today are often replaced with stone wool. Unlike mineral wool, which is often made from low-grade slag-basalt using bitumen binders, stone wool is an environmentally friendly material.

This insulation is distinguished by excellent characteristics - both technical and operational. The unique structure of the internal structure of stone wool: a chaotic arrangement of fibers, provides an effective thermal conductivity of 0.036-0.045 W/m*K. It significantly exceeds the insulation of its class in these indicators, provides excellent protection against temperature changes and guarantees microclimatic comfort.

Thermal insulation of tiled floors

The principle of prefabricated insulation reinforced concrete slabs or monolithic floors similar to the same process in the case of beam type. True, since the vapor permeability of reinforced concrete slabs is quite low, performing a vapor barrier on the “warm” side is not necessary. The thickness of the thermal insulation layer is calculated taking into account the type of supporting slab. Tiled, having flat surface, capable of carrying a large load.

How best to insulate

Let's start with the fact that you can install wooden beams on the slabs and place insulation between them. These can be backfill materials or mats of various types.

Installation technology

To install mineral wool, you will need to first prepare the attic space. To do this, you should remove all unnecessary things from there. The surface of the subfloor is cleaned of dust and dirt. If this wood flooring– It is recommended to install a layer of waterproofing.

It is best to use rolled polyethylene foam for this. In addition to thermal insulation properties, this floor insulation film has almost zero moisture absorption. A slight thickness (2-4mm) will not affect the increase in the insulation layer.

It is important to choose the right thickness basalt wool– it should not exceed the height of the joist taking into account the waterproofing layer. Models with a thickness of 50 mm and a density of up to 30 kg/m³ are often used.

The installation technology consists of the following stages of work.

• Preparatory work. Before installation, you need to insulate the chimney pipe. This is necessary to prevent direct contact of its surface with the heat insulator. The best option- make a small circular masonry from fire bricks around the pipe.

• Installation of insulation on the floor should be carried out only after installing thermal insulation on inner surface roof slope. This additional measure will significantly improve the thermal energy conservation rate not only of the attic space, but of the entire house as a whole.
• Installation of waterproofing protection. As mentioned above, it is best to use polyethylene foam film for waterproofing the attic. It should be located on the entire surface of the subfloor, including on the floor beams. The joints are insulated using special tape.

You can use double-sided adhesive tape for fastening, but do not use a staple gun or nails. This may lead to seal failure.

• Installation of heat insulator. Proper insulation of the floor of a cold attic begins with calculating the amount of material. The main indicators are total area rooms and the distance between beams. The latter is necessary to select the optimal insulation model. The width of standard slabs is 600 mm.

If the distance between the ceiling elements is greater, you need to use a rolled type of mineral wool. Depending on the manufacturer, its width can reach 1 m.

Having calculated the required amount of insulation, you can begin its installation.

Roll material is installed from the roof. The edge of the heat insulator should extend slightly onto the surface of the slope - this will help to avoid the appearance of gaps between the different layers of the heat-insulating layer.

The material is pressed tightly to the floor surface. It does not require additional fastening. When the entire surface between the beams is insulated, the roll is cut using a knife.

The rest of the attic floor is installed using the same scheme. After this, technological wooden flooring can be installed on top of the beams. These can be ordinary boards, the thickness of which can support the weight of an adult.

Backfilling of thermal insulation material

Backfilling of insulation can be done without installing lags. Expanded clay or slag is poured in a layer of 25–30 cm, leveled and poured thin layer screeds. It is recommended to stick roofing felt onto the slabs.

It is possible to insulate without floor joists using rigid insulation. Foam glass is considered the most effective, but also expensive. Sometimes foam concrete is used, however, it is somewhat heavy and the estimated height of its layer should be approximately 40 cm. In this case, a screed is not used.

Proper insulation of the attic floor is the main factor in maintaining heat in the house. It is important to follow the order of installation of all materials of the thermal insulation layer. You should also be concerned about operational safety - a protective structure must be installed around the chimney pipe.