How to insulate a balcony with your own hands: from a refrigerator to a warm island. How to properly insulate a balcony inside: choosing a heater Expansion and insulation of a balcony with your own hands

Has the day come when it's time to finally throw away the old ski and take all the cans from your balcony to the garage? Your head is full of ideas, and if not, then the global web will help you. You are ready to realize all the brightest and crazy desires on the vacated piece of living space. There is one small problem left. These are harsh conditions that attack your hard-earned square meters.

Therefore, the primary task that must be solved before letting the fantasy unfold is to keep warm. In order to minimize the cost of repairs, let's figure it out how to insulate a balcony from the inside with your own hands.

If a decision is made to attach the area of the balcony to the living area of the apartment, it is necessary to carry out work on its insulation. So that after the repair there are no unforeseen problems, the work must be carried out in compliance with the established norms, rules and approvals.

Serious reconstruction will require permission from local executive authorities, architecture and the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Ignore this paragraph is not worth it, so as not to be punished for violating the housing code. In addition, coordination will help to avoid certain errors when changing structural elements. Experienced specialists will immediately notice inconsistencies in the project. Correcting errors at the design stage will avoid the cost of correcting errors after repair.

The order of work and their volume depend on what tasks the reconstructed balcony will perform:

It will continue to be a place to relax in the warm season, and insulation is carried out to protect against wind, dust and precipitation. This is a less expensive method and easier to implement.
It will be attached to the area of the apartment as a full-fledged living space used all year round. Here, the scope of work increases significantly, since it will be necessary to provide for heating, steam and waterproofing, and change the power supply system.

Attention! Balcony with sliding windows it is almost pointless to insulate, since the windows themselves will let the cold through.

How to insulate a balcony from the inside with your own hands

First of all, it is necessary to take measurements and determine the quantity of materials, their composition and quality. Manufacturers offer a wide range of materials for insulation, insulation and finishing for every taste and material wealth. Of course, you shouldn't skimp on quality. It is necessary to take care of the environmental friendliness and fire safety of housing.

A balcony is a remote structure located outside the building, its three sides and the ceiling require insulation, even if the neighbors have already completed the work. The sequence of work should be built in such a way as not to miss important nuances that will then have to be corrected:

Particular attention should be paid to the condition enclosing parapet. Most often, it is a thin plate of metal, profile, or iron rods. This design will have to be replaced with a brick wall or foam blocks. For the construction of the wall, you need to choose light, hollow bricks so as not to create an unnecessary load on the carrier plate.

Balcony railing

Glazing it is better to entrust professionals. Depending on the chosen interior, the profile can be wooden or PVC with double glazing. The number of flaps is determined in advance to ensure ventilation and ease of maintenance. When installing windows, expansion profiles are installed that will facilitate the fastening of insulation boards.

glazed balcony

Sealing cracks, joints, holes, chips and cracks mounting foam, polyurethane sealants or mastic. They protect against the penetration of moisture, dust, the negative effects of the environment.

Sealing gaps on the balcony

let down energy supply so that access to food is as practical as possible. Electrical work and heat supply should be carried out by specialists with special permits for such work.

Conducting electricity on the balcony

Warming carried out in the following sequence: walls, and ceiling.

How to insulate the walls on the balcony

To choose the right insulation, you need to know its technical characteristics, pros and cons.

The main parameters that determine the quality of the material is its thermal conductivity, ecological and Fire safety. It is very important that the insulation is light and takes up less space.

. Multi-layer, consisting of foil and polyethylene foam, a reflective material a few millimeters thick. At the same time, it reflects at least 90% of heat, durable, lightweight, inexpensive. During installation, it easily takes the shape of the surface and is attached.

Insulation of the balcony with penofol

polyurethane foam. Provides fire and environmental safety. It is applied to the surface by pouring or spraying, closes all the cracks, provides waterproofing, does not require a frame and fastening.

Balcony insulation with polyurethane foam

Penoplex. These are expanded polystyrene boards. The material practically does not absorb moisture, but is voluminous and poorly accepts the parameters of the surface to which it is attached.

Insulation of the balcony with foam

Styrofoam. It has excellent sound, steam and heat insulation properties. Due to its cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness, it is well suited for warming a balcony.

Balcony insulation with polystyrene foam

Styrodur. A kind of polystyrene foam, extruded, green color, with good performance.

Balcony insulation with styrodur

Izover (mineral wool). Widespread insulation made on the basis of fiberglass. This is mineral wool, which will retain heat, provide sound insulation, and will not weigh down the structure. Has an affordable price. Used with additional hydro and vapor barrier.

Balcony insulation with isover (mineral wool)

It is not advisable to use fiberglass, as it is flammable and releases toxic substances.

Given the temperature difference between the outdoor air and the room, it is necessary to provide a kind of hydro-barrier that will not allow warm air to create condensate when it comes into contact with a cold fence. The presence of condensate will lead, in the future, to the formation and decay.

The insulation is attached, depending on the type, with glue, special dowels with a wide cap, spacer nails or spraying.

Using mineral wool the surface is pre-primed. After drying, mineral plates smeared with adhesive are applied to the wall. Installation starts from the bottom and is made according to the type of brickwork. Allow the glue to dry completely within a day. It is possible to carry out strengthening in several places with the help of dowels.

Often, a wooden frame is used to lay the slabs, the design of which retains heat worse than insulation. Therefore, it is better to fasten the material end-to-end and seal them with aluminum tape or mounting foam.

It is better to fasten layers of mineral wool end-to-end

The next layer is a vapor barrier. It could be foil polyethylene. It is laid with foil inside the building so that it reflects the heat coming from the house. Insulating materials for other heaters may not be used, depending on the purpose of the room.

How to insulate the floor on the balcony

About a quarter of the heat loss on the balcony occurs through the floor, so work needs to be done to prevent these losses. This is not the most difficult operation and it is quite possible to do it yourself. When choosing a material, it should be taken into account that the level of the floor on the balcony after installation must be at or below the level of the floor in the adjoining room.

There are several simple and affordable ways:

with a frame device;
monolithic;
electric underfloor heating.

Professional skills may require only one - the installation of a warm floor.

Underfloor heating on the balcony

The main point in the choice of method and material is the condition of the carrier plate. In houses of old construction, structures may have wear and tear and are not always ready to withstand heavy loads. Therefore, it is important to coordinate with the specialists of the department of architecture, what weight of materials can be used in the repair. This is especially important when installing monolithic concrete floors.

The frame floor, in turn, can be arranged using:

mineral wool;
expanded clay;
pepoplast;
foam or expanded polystyrene.

Floor insulation technology consists of several stages.

Leveling the surface of the plate is carried out if necessary.
Waterproofing with a polyethylene film or roofing material (for damp rooms).
The device of a wooden crate. A bar with a height close to the thickness of the insulation is used. It is laid along the length of the balcony at a distance of 50 cm from each other or another convenient distance, depending on the size of the insulation sheets. Leave indents from the walls of 5-7 cm, and the ends - 5 cm, so that the wood does not deform at high humidity. They are fixed to the floor with anchors or self-tapping screws with a depth of at least 4 mm. This will provide a stable hold. If it is necessary to install transverse beams, it is necessary to make cuts at the joints up to half the thickness and make recesses with the help of which the transverse logs are connected to the longitudinal ones. Control the level, do not allow the bars to sag. If necessary, wooden wedges or dies are placed, which are fixed to the floor with mounting foam. It is important to prevent foam from entering the junction of the wedge and the beam.
Filling the crate is made with the selected insulation.

Cheap and efficient material mineral wool. Available in rolls and slabs, light in weight, easy to install. The size of the canvas is chosen in such a way as not to crumple it and not to bend it. This degrades the protective qualities due to the reduction in the amount of air between the fibers. The main disadvantage of mineral wool is its low moisture resistance, so it is necessary to use a vapor barrier as the next layer.

Popular, inexpensive Styrofoam due to the ease and ease of installation, it is most often used as a heater. It is very hygroscopic and resistant to any environment. Among the disadvantages are deformation under loads and poor sound insulation.

Balcony floor insulation with polystyrene foam

Penoplex it is resistant to mold development, mechanical stress, temperature changes and excellent thermal insulation performance. As disadvantages, you can cancel its combustibility with the release of harmful substances and the thickness of the material.

Insulation of the floor and walls of the balcony with foam

High fire resistance, durability expanded clay. But it is not very good for warming a balcony, since a thick layer is required for normal thermal insulation.

Insulation of the balcony floor with expanded clay

The gaps remaining after filling with a heater are foamed.
On top of the insulation or vapor barrier (if applicable), as a rough flooring, after which the selected floor material will follow, chipboard or moisture-resistant plywood is attached.

Cement screed is used only with a fairly solid balcony structure. In order not to exceed the permissible load, a reinforced screed up to 50 mm thick is used.

The following methods will require special professional skills.

Implemented as insulation electrical heating systems using a special infrared film, cable, tapes. They are laid on a thin layer of insulation and mounted in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

For water floors requires a device in a special way of the water circuit.

Scheme of the device of the water floor

How to insulate the ceiling on the balcony

Before starting work, you should carefully inspect the ceiling for signs of leakage, since even a small amount of moisture falling on top of the insulation can lead to the development of mold.

Given the difficulty of working on the ceiling, it is necessary to protect the eyes and use goggles.

As a material for work, already familiar foam plastic, mineral wool, polystyrene, (foil polyethylene foam) are used.

Penoplex with a density of 35-45kg / cm² allows the use of panels from 20mm, which will provide normal thermal protection. The only drawback is the high cost.

Insulation of the ceiling of the balcony with foam

Thickness polystyrene can be within 50mm, and the density is 15kg / cm², then MDF, PVC or drywall panels are mounted on top. At a density of 25 kg / cm², putty can be applied.

Insulation of the ceiling of the balcony with foam

For ease of installation, marking is carried out taking into account that the plates or sheets of insulation fit well into the prepared crate, determine the level of fastening. It is better to calculate everything in advance at the bottom, then the work at the top will take less time. The thickness of the layers of insulation and finishing should be such as not to interfere with the opening of windows.

Use a different sequence of work:

Lathing device → installation of insulation → lining.
Insulation fastening over the entire area → vapor barrier → installation of a wooden crate or frame made of a metal profile → cladding.

If the balcony is located Upstairs buildings, it is important to prevent moisture from the roof from entering the insulation; for this, an additional layer of insulation with polyethylene or foil polyethylene foam is provided under the roof.

The first layer for waterproofing can be a special compound based on bituminous mastic, applied to a concrete slab with a brush. The next step is to install a sheet waterproofing.

How to insulate a balcony with foam

Penoplex is a cluster of expanded polystyrene balls with air gaps. Practically does not absorb moisture, has a long service life, low thermal conductivity. Plates are produced with a thickness of 2-10 cm.

Foam boards

The lightness of the material does not create an additional load on the carrier plate. It is resistant to deformation, does not emit harmful substances. To increase fire safety, a variety marked C is chosen. Since the walls of the balcony are thin, thick insulation boards are used, which will reduce the useful area of the room.

Under the influence of sunlight, penoplex loses its properties, therefore it is used only as an internal insulation.

The material is easily cut, does not crumble, does not create problems during installation. Used to insulate walls, floors and ceilings. The following fastening types are used:

Dish-type dowels with plastic cores. This mount is suitable for uneven surfaces, roofs made of metal profiles.
With a special adhesive applied to a pre-primed surface, it is enough to apply the adhesive in dots or in a zigzag. Adheres well to smooth concrete substrates.
Glue, with additional fixation, dowels.

Methods for applying glue to foam

Penoplex plates are laid in prepared crate cages or without it, on the entire surface. The use of lathing, especially on the front part, worsens thermal protection.

The fitting of the plates is carried out tightly, the joints are sealed with construction tape or filled with mounting foam. The insulation is covered with a layer of polyethylene with a foil layer. Depending on the purpose of the room, vapor barrier may or may not be used.

Foam insulation is suitable for all types of interior decoration: special plaster, plasterboard, wood and finishing boards.

How to insulate a balcony with foam

One of the most common ways to insulate a balcony (walls, floor, ceiling) is foam. This material at a relatively low cost is able, with proper installation, to provide excellent thermal insulation performance. Of the other positive qualities, it is worth noting the resistance to adverse weather conditions. It does not absorb moisture, does not collapse under its influence, is resistant to the formation of rot and mold.

Polyfoam does not emit harmful substances, goes well with other materials.

To insulate the balcony, foam plastic is used both outside and inside. Outdoor work for a multi-storey building is best entrusted to specialized organizations for the purpose of safety.

For internal insulation, a foam plastic thickness of 4-6 cm is sufficient. If the front part is thinner than the side panels, a thickness of up to 10 cm can be applied. When choosing a thickness for floor insulation, it is necessary to leave a margin of height for the installation of the floor itself, and for the ceiling - for opening windows.

Warming is carried out in two ways:

Adhesive. On flat surfaces that do not require waterproofing, foam boards can be glued with special glue (Ceresit ST-85). This method is good for arranging the floor for a subsequent screed or walls for plaster. In this case, when the foam sticks, the glue is applied to its outer surface with a thickness of 2-3 mm. Without waiting for complete drying, they apply a reinforcing mesh, but do not flood it and cover it with another layer of glue.

Adhesive foam insulation

frame. Since the use of other finishing materials requires additional fastening, they arrange a wooden crate or a frame made of a metal profile. This method is convenient for creating a multilayer cake that provides waterproofing from the outside, and vapor barrier from the inside. Layers can fill the cells of the frame or be located under the bars and on top. The foam itself is cut to the size of the cells so as to fill them as tightly as possible. It is fastened with dowels or self-tapping screws with wide mushroom caps.

Frame method of foam insulation

cracks , emptiness , irregularities are filled with scraps, mounting foam or sealant. After drying, you can attach a layer of vapor barrier over the insulation and the cake is ready for finishing with drywall, plastic panels or other finishing.

How to insulate a plastic balcony

Plastic balconies or decorated with plastic panels are resistant to the external environment, sunlight, temperature changes. Guaranteed service life of high-quality panels is at least 50 years. They are easy to install, have an affordable price, are easy to maintain and look aesthetically pleasing. Due to the positive characteristics, plastic balconies have gained popularity.

Plastic panels improve the aesthetic appearance, provide sufficient thermal protection to balconies with improved glazing.

Balcony with plastic panels

Sheathing the balcony with plastic is carried out on a mounted wooden frame or metal profile, which reacts poorly to temperature changes and changes in humidity. The device of the frame creates a free space between the walls and finishing panels. It is foolish not to take advantage of this moment and add one of the common heaters to this space. If, at the same time, the seams and joints of the balcony structure are sealed, then even one layer polystyrene, penoplex or mineral wool, filling the cells of the crate, will significantly change the microclimate. And the use of an additional layer of vapor barrier will make it possible to use a plastic balcony throughout the year as a full-fledged living space.

How to insulate a wooden balcony

Lovers of wood in the interior, support the style on the balcony. The main advantages of wooden structures are their environmental friendliness, favorable microclimate created by breathable material. The texture of wood, supported by modern finishing materials, creates a cozy atmosphere and an attractive look. However, without additional insulation, a wooden balcony can only be fully used in the warm season. In addition, under the influence of the external environment, the tree quickly ages, absorbs moisture, cracks, and rots. Fixed costs are required to maintain open wooden balconies in an attractive way.

wooden balcony

Insulation with installation will help improve consumer qualities glazing and a set of works on waterproofing.

The interior is well supported by frames made of wood of the appropriate species with double glazing, which will allow the balcony to be used as a living space. After their installation, work is carried out to seal cracks, cracks and junctions using mounting foam. The insulation technology is similar to works for structures made of other materials, however, wood requires mandatory hydro and vapor barrier.

Work order:

Wooden structures of the balcony are treated with means to protect against decay, insects and increase fire resistance. This also applies to the bars for the crate.
The concrete base is primed.
Waterproofing is laid on the prepared surfaces. For the floor, roofing material or mastic is used, for walls and ceilings - polyethylene or foil.
A wooden frame is prepared from bars, which provide the possibility of laying a heater of a selected thickness.
Insulation (mineral wool, polystyrene or foam plastic) is tightly laid in the cells of the crate. The remaining voids are filled with foam.
On top of the insulation, a layer of vapor barrier made of foil polyethylene foam, penofol is attached.
Finishing with wood panels, clapboard. It must be ensured that the weight of the finishing material does not overload the carrier plate of the balcony. Part of the wooden materials can be replaced with lighter ones, without sacrificing functionality and attractiveness.

To make the insulation of the balcony with your own hands a pleasure and provide an excellent result, think over the goals and tasks in advance, carry out the necessary approvals and measurements. Choose materials according to technical characteristics and your material possibilities. Carry out work in the complex, not missing the little things. And success is guaranteed.

You can also watch a few videos that will help you insulate the balcony with your own hands.

Video

Insulation of balconies and loggias with mineral wool

The technology of insulation of the balcony with foam

Warming and joining a balcony

How to insulate a balcony? The choice of insulation

How to insulate a balcony? Step-by-step instruction

How to insulate a balcony with your own hands: what and how to insulate + video

In winter, do you have to forget about the balcony? It's time for a change - make a warm cozy corner out of a warehouse of unnecessary things or even! Insulating a cold balcony in both a new building and a private house is not as difficult as it seems: it is enough to know what materials can be used and in what sequence to carry out insulation work.

To begin with, it is worth saying that there are two ways to insulate a balcony - from the inside and outside. External insulation, of course, is more convenient - precious centimeters of area are not “eaten up”, and the cladding of the balcony facade becomes more pleasant. But this is a laborious process that requires the involvement of a construction team and industrial climbers. Therefore, in the article we will focus on how to properly insulate a balcony in an apartment from the inside - this can be done independently.

For insulation inside the balcony, first of all, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work. They include several important steps:

How to start warming a loggia or balcony? Free up space from all unnecessary. It is best if the balcony is completely empty: it is much easier to work this way. Also, get rid of the old finish in advance.
Seal all the cracks - a lot of heat escapes through them. For small gaps, a weather-resistant sealant is suitable, fill larger gaps with mounting foam - it will not only fill the voids, but also serve as an additional heat insulator.
To make it easier for you to carry out work on insulation, it is important to even out cracks and irregularities on the walls and ceiling with cement mortar.
If you plan to place light bulbs or lighting fixtures on the balcony, you should take care of the wiring in advance. To hide unpresentable cables, place them in plastic boxes.
Before starting work, cover the opening between the balcony and the adjacent room with a film so that building dust and other pollutants do not get into the apartment.

Is it possible to insulate a balcony in winter? Yes, you can. Only when working in winter, it is necessary to choose frost-resistant materials, in particular mounting foam.

How to insulate a balcony: what materials are better to choose

To understand how to insulate a loggia or balcony, let's first figure out what properties the materials should have:

high strength;
fire safety;
water resistance;
environmental friendliness;
relatively low cost;
ease of installation (if we want to do all the work with our own hands).

Most often, mineral wool, polystyrene foam, polystyrene, etc. are used for insulation. Sometimes several of these materials are combined. We have reflected the pros and cons of each heat insulator in the table:

insulation	Advantages	Flaws
Expanded clay>	Low cost; Durability; fire safety; Not afraid of mold and mildew; Light weight; Easily takes any shape	High moisture permeability; Suitable only for floor insulation; May be difficult to install





Mineral wool	Good sound and heat insulation; Environmental friendliness; fire safety; Easily takes any shape	Deterioration of properties when exposed to water; The thickness of the insulation "steals" the usable area



Styrofoam	Low cost; Ease of installation; Light weight; Not afraid of mold and mildew	fragility; combustibility




Extruded polystyrene boards	High strength; Ease of installation; moisture resistance; Durability	Relatively high cost



polyurethane foam(liquid insulation)	High strength; moisture resistance; Durability; Fills cavities of any shape	Relatively high cost; Mandatory availability of special equipment



Penofol(foamed polyethylene with a layer of metal foil)	moisture resistance; Durability; Small thickness; Good thermal and waterproofing	Rarely used as an independent heat insulator, usually only in combination with other materials

What is the best insulation for a balcony? The answer to this question depends on your preferences and financial capabilities. You can read more about the characteristics of insulation, as well as about it in general, in our blog.

First, a waterproofing layer of polyethylene or penofol must be laid on the floor so that dampness does not bother us. Masters advise laying penofol with the reflective side up. Along the way, we can fix the waterproofing on the walls. The joints between the sheets of the waterproofing agent are best glued with foil tape.

Another good waterproofing agent is bitumen-based mastic. It dries for about a day, the surfaces treated with it cannot be touched.

Then we install logs - wooden beams or metal beams that serve as the basis for floors, platforms and other surfaces. Wooden logs are suitable for floor insulation. You should choose logs made of quality materials: the moisture content in wood should not exceed 12%. Also, in order to prevent fungus and decay, the bars are treated with an antiseptic or primer.

The distance between the lags should be equal to the width of the insulation, and the builders recommend making the height of the bars 10-15 centimeters - this is necessary to reliably protect the floor from frost. To seal the holes between the lags and the wall, as well as fix the bars in the desired position, use mounting foam. Do not worry about accuracy: excess foam can be cut off with a knife after it dries.

Next, a heat-insulating layer, slab or fibrous, is laid. Make sure that there are no gaps between the heat insulator and the lags: "cold bridges" will negate all your efforts to warm. If you are laying the heat insulator in several layers, be sure to shift each new layer so that the seams between the sheets of insulation are not in the same place.

To protect the floor from condensation, you will need a layer of vapor barrier.

Using self-tapping screws, attach a "rough" floor made of boards, plywood sheets, fiberboard or chipboard to the logs. This is the last step before finishing the floor, such as laminate, linoleum or carpet.

There are two technologies for insulating the ceiling - with or without a frame. Before starting work, it is recommended to apply an antiseptic layer to the ceiling: this way you will protect the surface from mold.

If you decide to make a crate, you will need wooden bars and dowels. We lay a heater in the crate - mineral wool or polystyrene is suitable as a heat-insulating layer. Mineral wool is fixed with mounting foam, and the foam plastic is held without additional fastening. Then the ceiling is finished: plastic panels, drywall, wall paneling - any materials will do, it all depends on your idea.

Without a frame, ceiling insulation work is carried out as follows: the ceiling surface must be cleaned of dust and dirt, and also treated with reinforcing soil - this will help fix the insulation more securely. Then the glue is applied to the foam sheets (it is enough to apply glue around the perimeter and a little in the middle). We glue the sheets to the ceiling, for reliability they are fastened with dowel-mushrooms. We close the joints with mounting foam.

The adhesive you will be using must never contain toluene.

Our waterproofing is already ready, so we can immediately install a crate of wooden bars. The distance between them should be equal to the width of the heat insulator, and the height of the bars should be equal to the width of the insulation. For walls, polystyrene foam plates, polystyrene foam or high-quality mineral wool are suitable. The joints between the insulation, as always, are filled with foam. On top of the insulation you need to fix the vapor barrier film.

As a rule, the wall between the balcony and the room is insulated in one layer, and the remaining walls are insulated in two layers, or the thickest heat insulator is used.

And what to do with windows?

Think about it: is it worth it to insulate a balcony with cold glazing? If you want a truly warm corner, you should not save on windows. You can insulate the ceiling, floor and walls to the highest standard, but cold air will still seep through old or low-quality double-glazed windows.

If your balcony is not glazed, first of all, pay attention to the parapet - a low wall that protects the balcony from the street. It must be strong enough to withstand the window structure.

Which windows to choose? If you are planning to turn the balcony into a living room, two-chamber plastic windows with hinged sashes will do. They are more hermetic than sliding window systems, and such windows also have better heat and sound insulating properties. The only negative is that since the area of the balcony is mostly small, the arrangement of furniture can interfere with opening the windows.

In general, you can install plastic windows with your own hands. But it is better not to take risks if you have no experience: after all, even some window installation companies make annoying mistakes in their work. In order not to run into unfortunate installers, frosting of windows and, be sure to study the reviews of people who have collaborated with a particular company.

If it is still not possible to install new windows, it is quite possible to find another way out. on the balcony easily with the help of improvised materials.

Even on a perfectly insulated balcony it can be a little chilly in winter. To make it comfortable for you to be on the balcony on the most frosty days, an electric heater would be an ideal option. Usually it is placed against the wall separating the balcony and the apartment. You should not put a heater near the windows, otherwise the glass will start to fog up.

It is impossible to carry out central heating on the balcony: this is prohibited by building codes.

Also a good solution for heating would be an electric underfloor heating or a water floor. Modern technology of warm floors will please you as long as the balcony itself will exist. Many systems are equipped with a thermostat, so you can set a comfortable temperature.

After you have carried out all the necessary work on insulation, you should take care of. If you sealed up all the cracks on the balcony, there will simply be nowhere for fresh air to come from. Therefore, regularly is extremely important. At a minimum, you can just open windows.

In order to avoid disputes about the need to obtain permission to carry out the insulation of balconies or loggias, it is worthwhile to carefully understand this issue. The usual insulation of the walls of the loggia from the inside without the installation of external glazing systems can be carried out without issuing permits.

If it is planned to perform window fillings on the balcony, these works are equated with redevelopment and require the receipt of established permits.

Permission for redevelopment of loggias with insulation

Order project documentation and order certificates from supervisory organizations

Given that non-glazed structures do not retain heat, it is possible to insulate floors, walls and ceilings, but this is an ineffective exercise. Heat is reliably stored in the premises of the loggias, where external glazing is installed, such works, according to the legislation of the Russian Federation, are redevelopment and require a permit for their implementation. Cases where a permit cannot be issued are defined by law:

The building belongs to the monuments of architectural heritage.
The structures of a residential building will not withstand the additional load (the building is dilapidated or intended for demolition).
The loggia insulation plan provides for the use of obsolete building materials with a high degree of ignition.
If the redevelopment plan provides for the installation of heating and floor heating systems with their connection to general house communications.

In other cases, you will have to go through the procedure for obtaining permission, before starting construction and installation work on the insulation and glazing of the loggia.

To obtain permission to carry out work on the redevelopment of the loggia, you will need to order project documentation from an organization that has a license to design residential buildings, as well as obtain the necessary information from a number of organizations.

The finished project is coordinated with the Department of Architecture and interested organizations (SES, fire safety department and others).

Performance of work on the insulation of loggias without issuing the established permits may entail:

bringing the premises to their original form at their own expense.
penalties in the amount of 2 to 2.5 thousand rubles.

Warming technology

The sequence of warming the loggia is determined by the technology of work. How to start warming a loggia or balcony? First you need to perform a number of preparatory steps.

First of all, the premises of the loggia are freed from the things stored there: old furniture, boxes and flower pots are removed. The clotheslines are removed, the holders for clotheslines fixed on the walls or ceiling are dismantled.

If the floors of the loggia are covered, it must be disassembled, and then the slab should be inspected. If necessary, the surface of the slab base is repaired, especially if concrete chips are found and bare reinforcement comes to the surface (iron bar without concrete coating).

The front fence of the loggia is dismantled, observing safety regulations.

Before dismantling the structures, it is necessary to protect the house area with cords, hang warning signs to prevent the occurrence of dangerous situations.

The loggia insulation procedure includes the following technological processes: glazing; floor, ceiling, wall insulation; reliable waterproofing device; external insulation; finishing. More details about each stage of work and the intricacies of the technological process below.

Glazing

Single-row glazing will protect from bad weather, but not from frost

Providing for the glazing of the loggia, it is worth noting that all efforts to insulate the structures will be reduced to zero if low-quality double-glazed windows are selected. Guaranteed protection from the weather will be completely provided by window fillings with single-row glazing, but such windows are not able to protect against frost.

When choosing the material of window fillings, it is worth abandoning wooden windows, because there is a danger of condensation on the loggia, which can adversely affect the condition of wooden frames. Aluminum and plastic windows can be installed on loggias without fear of increasing the maximum allowable load on the slab. Aluminum window structures are lighter in weight than PVC structures, are not subject to corrosive processes, and are suitable for finishing loggias in any style.

Installation of window blocks should be carried out after strengthening the parapet, which can be made of monolithic concrete or foam concrete blocks (ceramic bricks). The thickness of the parapet is provided in the amount of at least 10 cm.

When installing window fillings, an additional profile is often used, which is installed around the perimeter of the window.

Insulation of the loggia from the inside

The process of warming the balcony can be continued after the installation of double-glazed windows. The walls of the loggia can be conditionally divided into "cold" and "warm", bordering on heated rooms. Insulation usually covers only the "cold" surfaces of the structures, so as not to reduce the free space of the loggia. Details of the insulation of the loggia, see this video:

The choice of insulation among the abundance of modern brands is not particularly difficult, but when purchasing a certain type of material, the climatic conditions of the region are necessarily taken into account.

Styrofoam

The most popular are the following heaters:

In addition to the main insulation, a number of materials will be required to help complete the work in the loggia: mounting foam, mounting foam cleaner, foil tape, antiseptic primer, galvanized metal profile, fixing hardware, drywall sheets.

Foam wall insulation technology

Consider the technology of laying insulation on the walls of the loggia using the example of installing foam.

First you need to treat the walls of the loggia with a primer, such a coating will prevent the spread of fungal infections and mold in the event of adverse conditions (high humidity, condensation). After applying the primer, it is necessary to allow the wall surfaces to dry thoroughly. For more information about foam insulation technology, see this video:

Using a sharp clerical knife, it is convenient to cut the insulation to size. In cold climates, it is worthwhile to provide for the laying of foam in 2 layers with an overlap of adjacent segments of at least 5 cm.

Work should begin with fixing the first layer of insulation with special dowels to the surface of the walls. The second layer can be mounted on top of the first on mounting foam or the same dowels.

Styrofoam sheets are fixed in a similar way.

Insulation of ceiling structures

Insulation of the ceiling of the loggia begins with the fixing of galvanized suspensions and guide profiles. Holes for suspensions are pre-cut in the sheets of insulation.

You can correct these holes with mounting foam. The cut insulation is fixed on the ceiling with mounting foam or dowels with different cores. Plastic dowels are designed to fasten light materials, metal ones are used for heavy plates.

Loggia floor: laying insulation

The floor of the loggia is considered the “coldest” surface and needs to be provided with maximum insulation. It is from the floor that is poorly insulated that the cold spreads throughout the loggia, so it is worth considering laying the insulation in 2 layers. For more information on warming the floor of the loggia, see this video:

After cleaning the slab, assessing its technical condition, a decision is made to perform a leveling screed, which must dry thoroughly before continuing the insulation process.

The floors are treated 2-3 times with a protective solution against the appearance of fungus and mold, after which waterproofing can be arranged.

The next stage is the laying of rails and transverse logs, which are fixed with galvanized self-tapping screws, while it is important to ensure that all logs are of the same thickness.

The best material for floor insulation is mineral wool, the material perfectly fills the crate, reliably isolating the smallest gaps and holes.

At the end of laying the mineral wool, they proceed to the device of the subfloor. What material to choose for finishing the floor in the loggia depends on the style of the room and the personal tastes of the owner. For information on how to treat fungus and mold, see this video:

Starting a conversation about external insulation, it is worth warning about the inadmissibility of independent actions at height; professional industrial climbers should be involved in such work. The rest of the work on the insulation and finishing of the loggias can be easily done with your own hands, having some experience in construction work.

A balcony or loggia is an unheated room in an apartment. Therefore, they are a source of heat loss from an apartment or house. Even a well-glazed balcony lets in a significant amount of heat.

To avoid this, the balcony or loggia is insulated from the inside. It should be noted that there are different approaches to warming this type of room.

The type and method of warming the balcony and loggia depends on:

intended purpose:

the balcony is not intended for storage, they are insulated in order to reduce heat loss from the room. In this case, work is carried out according to a scheme similar to outdoor heating. That is, only one side of it, adjacent to the wall of the room, is insulated;

the balcony is for storage. Insulated around the perimeter of all surfaces. Since there should not be a high temperature here, the requirements for heat-insulating materials are not particularly high;

balcony, which is a continuation of the living room or serving as an office, library, gym, etc. In this case, heat loss through windows and all surfaces is eliminated. And as the materials used, heat insulators with high density and considerable thickness are used. Particular attention is paid to the thermal conductivity of the material and the rules for its installation.

heating budget. It determines both the type of insulation, and the area of insulation, and further finishing. It also determines whether to entrust the work to professionals or to do the insulation of the balcony with your own hands;

season. Low temperatures can withstand any kind of insulation. But solutions, adhesives and foam must be used taking into account the ambient temperature. As a rule, "winter varieties" are more expensive. And the duration of work in winter is more significant;

Consider ways to insulate a balcony using various heaters and give some important practical tips on how to make the insulation of a loggia more efficient. We will proceed from the fact that it is necessary to qualitatively and inexpensively insulate the balcony on all surfaces inside - walls, ceiling and floor.

Insulation requirement:

light weight. In order not to weigh down the balcony, which is much lower in strength than the loggia;
small volume. In order not to occupy the useful living space of a balcony or loggia;
low cost;
safety. Fire and environmental;
opportunity to do the work yourself.

Insulation for balconies and loggias - types and properties

If you have not yet decided what is the best way to insulate a balcony or loggia from the inside, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with popular thermal insulation materials. Each of them has advantages and disadvantages, which are in characteristics, cost and installation methods.

Styrofoam

Durable, dense material that does not support combustion well. Resistant to moisture, has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity.

Styrofoam

Dense heater. It has the lowest thermal conductivity, light weight, high strength and low cost.

Basalt and mineral wool

Soft insulation. Works due to its structure. Fibers arranged in a chaotic manner contain air, which does not allow heat to penetrate through the cotton wool. Working with cotton wool, you need to create an additional frame.

Polyurethane foam (PPU)

Sprayed insulation. The material is good because it does not allow moisture to pass through, makes it possible to adjust the thickness of the insulation and allows you to get a coating without seams. And this, in turn, eliminates the appearance of cold bridges.

Penofol

multilayer material. The polystyrene backing keeps the heat in, and the aluminum screen, which is like a thermal mirror, allows the heat to be reflected inside the house. Can be used on its own or in combination with other heaters.

Expanded clay

Bulk heater. It has a porous structure, thanks to which it retains heat well. Used for floor insulation.

Using these materials to insulate balconies and loggias, you can additionally provide good sound insulation (provided that they are glazed with plastic windows).

A mandatory accompanying attribute when insulating from the inside with most of these materials is a vapor and hydrobarrier film or a superdiffusion membrane. It is designed to protect the insulation, especially soft from getting wet and condensation.

The material was prepared for the site www.site

How to insulate a balcony with your own hands - step by step instructions

Clearing the premises. It is impossible to do quality work if you have to constantly move things from place to place.

Crack sealing. We assume that high-quality double-glazed windows are installed on the windows. In any case, there are gaps between the balcony and the wall, at the junction of the ceiling and the floor. So they need to be repaired using foam, sealants or solutions. Slots of considerable size are sealed with pieces of foam.

Balcony / loggia waterproofing. Needed to keep water out. Moreover, it can enter through micropores in concrete. For this purpose, a deep penetrating primer can be used.

In the case of using cotton wool, it is necessary to install a waterproofing film. It is fastened with an overlap and secured with tape.

Installing a heater. There are two methods here:

frame method. In this case, you must first equip the frame from antiseptic-treated wooden boards or galvanized profiles. Boards are more popular because they are cheaper and allow you to adjust the thickness of the frame. The most commonly used beam is 50x50. A heater is inserted into the formed cells.

Frameless method. More preferable, but only suitable for rigid insulation. This is due to the fact that the material of the frame with the frame method remains not covered with insulation. That is, wood or metal serve as cold bridges and conduct heat well. Therefore, in the vast majority of cases, rigid heaters are mounted without arranging the frame.

Laying penofol, vapor barrier film or superdiffusion membrane.

Floor insulation is in progress.

The final stage is the decorative finishing of the balcony or drywall.

Insulation of the balcony and loggia with mineral wool

The cotton wool is laid so that it fits snugly against the elements of the frame, but is not “rammed”, i.e. no need to further compact it. From this, the structure of the mineral wool will change and part of the air will evaporate. This will reduce the thermal insulation properties of wool. In order for the cotton wool to hold securely on the wall, and especially on the ceiling, it must be additionally fixed using wire or umbrellas (dowels with a wide cap).

Mineral wool fixed with "umbrellas"

Sometimes cotton wool is brought behind the frame, as shown in the figure. Then the elements of the frame are held by cotton wool. However, professionals do not recommend using this approach for low-density wool (less than 50 kg/m3), since wool held in only a few places will settle over time, exposing part of the wall to the movement of cold air.

Cotton wool is covered with a vapor barrier film. Then the counter-lattice is stuffed. It allows you to protect the wool from touching the finishing material and avoid the appearance of a dew point in this place.

In more detail, the stages of installing cotton wool are presented in the diagram.

floor base
floor joists
frame
Basalt wool
Vapor barrier film
Control grille
Finishing material

Insulation of the balcony with polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam

Rigid insulation is also placed in the frame sections and fixed on foam or special glue. The insulation is not laid close to the frame, but with a gap of 5-10 mm. The gap is subsequently blown out with foam, and the foam sheet is additionally attached with a plastic dowel - an umbrella (fungus).

Fastening foam plastic in a frame way

Fastening polystyrene foam in a frame way

The foam sheets are tightly pressed against each other, and the joints are blown with foam.

Expanded polystyrene sheets are joined according to the "groove-comb" principle.

The sputtering method stands apart in this group. Such heat-insulating material as polyurethane foam is applied to the wall precisely by spraying. Relatively new material on the market is quickly gaining its fans among professionals and amateurs. Because it allows you to perform insulation without additional preparation of the base. The high speed of work execution - less than one day - also speaks in favor of the PPU. Among the disadvantages are the high cost and the inability to do the work yourself without special equipment.

Firstly, reliable protection of the insulation from moisture;

Secondly, additional internal insulation;

Thirdly, the foil reflects 90% of the heat back. What is very important for a balcony or loggia, which, by law, cannot have their own heating sources.

This material should be of interest to all apartment owners who have a private balcony or loggia. In this article, I want to talk about how simple insulation of a balcony with your own hands will help make it a full-fledged part of your apartment. If you are tired of using your balcony solely for storing old unnecessary things, read the article and find out how to properly insulate it.

What is the difference between a balcony and a loggia

So that in the future no one will be confused, first I want to explain how the loggia differs from the balcony:

The balcony always protrudes forward, beyond the vertical walls of the building. As the floor and ceiling of the balconies, there are interfloor concrete slabs, which have a cantilever fastening to the facade of the house. A vertical fence (parapet) is usually made in the form of a welded metal structure, which is installed in front and on the sides of the balcony;

The loggia is always recessed deep into the facade. Structurally, it is a continuation of the dwelling, however, it is separated from it by a solid outer wall with a balcony door. The floor and ceiling for the loggia are interfloor ceilings, and the side walls are made of monolithic concrete or brickwork. The parapet on the loggia is installed only along the front part, and can be made of welded metal or light building materials (foam concrete blocks, hollow bricks, etc.).

Why you need to insulate the loggia

In old high-rise buildings, apartments with balconies and loggias were rented out to residents without glazing at all. This means that snow and rain can freely get there, and the air temperature throughout the year remains the same as outside.

Apartments in modern new buildings, most often rented with glazed balconies. Glazing helps to protect it from rain and snow, but does not protect it from the penetration of cold, wind and dampness. Therefore, the temperature and humidity on a glazed but uninsulated balcony does not differ much from the weather outside.

I can say from personal experience that the simultaneous glazing and insulation of balconies with your own hands allows you to solve several housing issues at once:

An insulated and glazed loggia can be used not just as a pantry for unnecessary trash, but as a full-fledged room in your apartment. Moreover, when paying for utilities, you still pay for it as for living space;

When summing up electricity and centralized heating, it can be equipped with a study, a small home workshop, a children's playroom, and even your own greenhouse or winter garden;
If you want to increase the usable area of \u200b\u200byour living room or bedroom, and are ready to sacrifice a balcony for this, then I suggest doing the following:

First of all, we qualitatively insulate the balcony, and install a panoramic window with double-glazed windows;
Next, we supply centralized or autonomous heating from the apartment;
We dismantle the old window block and balcony door;
Now it remains to combine your room and balcony into a single living space.

The following offer should be of interest to owners of one-room apartments.

If the layout of your house allows, then due to the balcony or loggia, it is easy to turn a one-room apartment into a two-room apartment:

First of all, you need to carefully insulate the loggia, and install double-glazed windows;
Then bring heating, sewerage and water supply pipes to the loggia;
Install a sink, plumbing fixtures and a minimum set of kitchen appliances;
In the former kitchen, equip a living room, nursery or.

Even if you do not plan to convert the balcony into a living room, then its insulation will help to significantly reduce heat loss in your apartment. Firstly, in winter, this will make the house much warmer, and secondly, it will reduce monthly heating and air conditioning costs.

Choice of thermal insulation materials

To insulate balconies, it is best to use rigid polymer-based heat-insulating materials, or mineral wool-based roll insulation.

Both those and other materials for insulation have their advantages and disadvantages, so further I will talk about their main qualities in more detail:

Styrofoam is a rigid sheet insulation, which is made from expanded polystyrene granules welded together.

It is characterized by the following characteristics:

Structural foam sheets are usually 1000x1000 mm in size, and can have a thickness of 10 to 150 mm;
They have sufficient rigidity, have very low thermal conductivity, and absolutely do not let air and water vapor through;
Styrofoam is considered the cheapest insulation, since its price is about 150-200 rubles per sheet 1000x1000x50 mm in size.

Extruded polystyrene foam (EPS or Penoplex) has similar performance properties, but has a much higher rigidity:

Penoplex sheets are able to withstand a significant weight load, so I advise you to use it for floor insulation;
XPS and foam are destroyed by ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, they should not be left in direct sunlight for a long time;
For the same reason, it is desirable to carry out a fine finish no later than a week after the installation of the insulation.

Foam polyethylene foam (Penofol) is sold in rolls 1000 mm wide and 3 to 12 mm thick. Penofol is most often used as an auxiliary heat and waterproofing material. It is laid in the form of a layer between the main insulation and the internal decorative lining.

Penofol in a heat-insulating coating performs three important functions at once:

By itself, polyethylene foam has a low thermal conductivity, therefore it serves as an additional insulation;
A thin mirror film of aluminum foil reflects the infrared spectrum of thermal radiation, so it returns radiant heat from radiators back to the loggia;
The polyethylene film absolutely does not allow water vapor to pass through, so warm, moist air from the room cannot penetrate into the thickness of the main insulation. This protects it from condensation.

Basalt or stone mineral wool is a soft fibrous insulation that is made from interwoven thin fibers of molten rocks.

Basalt wool is considered a universal type of insulation, since it has practically no restrictions on its use in construction:

Mineral wool is sold in rolls or in the form of rigid slabs with a thickness of 20 to 100 mm;
It has a low heat transfer coefficient, absolutely does not burn, is not subject to mold formation, and has an unlimited service life;
Stone wool passes air and water vapor well, however, when wet, its heat-insulating properties deteriorate significantly;
In order to prevent the formation of condensate inside the insulation, mineral wool must be installed in combination with a waterproofing layer.

In addition to stone wool, glass wool is commercially available, which is made from thin strands of molten glass. Its fibers are very fragile and break easily, so after crushing, such cotton wool does not restore its shape. I do not recommend using it for home insulation, because the fine glass fibers can penetrate a person's skin and cause severe irritation.

Instrument preparation

To insulate the balcony with your own hands, you can get by with the usual set of household tools:

To drill holes in concrete, you will need an electric hammer drill and a set of drills with a diameter of 6 to 12 mm;
Holes in brick walls can be drilled with an impact drill. To do this, you need a set of drills with a pobedite tip with a diameter of 6-12 mm;
In the process, you will need to tighten a large number of screws. Therefore, I recommend using a cordless screwdriver with PH2 and PZ2 interchangeable bits;
It is more convenient to cut the bars for mounting the crate using an electric cutting machine, but if it is not there, then you can use a conventional hand saw for wood;

For cutting insulation and cutting cladding panels, you will need a sharp construction knife with a set of interchangeable blades;
From hand tools, you will also need two hammers weighing 200 g and 400 g;
Two flat and one curly screwdriver;
Small and large pliers or pliers;
Building level, plumb line, metal ruler and tape measure at least 3 m long;
Polyurethane foam in large metal cylinders;
In addition to the insulation, from the materials you need to purchase dry wooden bars for the manufacture of a carrier, with a section of 60x60 mm;

Glue for insulation. It is sold in the form of a dry mortar, and is prepared directly at the place of work;
Wide aluminum metallized adhesive tape for ventilation systems;
Plastic dowels with wide washers for fixing insulation. In the people they are often called umbrellas or parachutes;
Depending on your preferences, moisture-resistant drywall, plastic siding panels or clapboard boards can be used for the interior decoration of the balcony. In my opinion, plastic siding is best suited for these purposes..

During the night and day hours, significant air temperature fluctuations can be observed on the insulated balcony, which in turn can lead to the formation of condensation on the walls and ceiling. Therefore, for interior finishing, it is allowed to use only moisture-resistant and frost-resistant materials.

Warming process

Stage 1: strengthening the balcony parapet

Insulation of the balcony from the inside should begin with the installation of windows, but in some cases this may cause problems. During the construction of multi-storey buildings, balcony parapets are usually made in the form of a light metal fence, welded from a corner and a steel square. It is unsafe to mount heavy double-chamber balcony glazing on such a parapet, therefore, before installing new windows, it must be strengthened.

I can suggest three ways to strengthen the parapet:

To strengthen a strong and reliable balcony railing in new homes, you can use a simpler method:

Along the entire perimeter of the parapet, weld additional longitudinal beams from a profile pipe with a section of 40x20 mm, or from a steel corner with a section of 40x40 mm;
To the longitudinal beams, on each side, weld brackets with mounting plates made of steel with a thickness of at least 4 mm. Each plate should have two holes with a diameter of 12 mm;
The existing metal structure must be additionally fixed at several points to the concrete floor slab, as well as to the facade of the building or to the side walls of the loggia. For fastening, expandable anchor bolts must be used;
Tie all metal railing rods together with a truss structure made of a reinforcing bar with a diameter of 12 mm, or a profile pipe 20x20 mm. Weld the extreme ends of the truss to the mounting brackets;
After installing the glazing, the outside of the parapet can be sewn up with decorative plastic siding panels.

In old houses of the Soviet period of construction, the parapet can be unreliable and very flimsy.

From the inside of the balcony, build a new parapet of foam concrete blocks or hollow baked bricks;
In places where the new parapet adjoins the facade of the house or the side walls of the loggia, install anchor embedded structures, at least 3 pcs. in height;
From above, fix the common railing from a wide board with a thickness of 35-40 mm. It must completely overlap both parapets, and protrude outside and inside the balcony, at least 50 mm on each side;
An old metal fence, sewn up with plastic siding panels for beauty.

If your balcony railing is in disrepair, it is best to dismantle it immediately and install a new parapet in its place.

To do this, you can use the following method:

Along the perimeter of the balcony floor slab, lay out a new parapet of hollow brick or foam concrete blocks;
After each row of foam concrete blocks, or after every third row of bricks, along the entire perimeter of the parapet, a reinforcing metal mesh must be laid in the masonry;
The free ends of the strapping must be welded to the anchor brackets on the facade of the house or on the side walls of the loggia;
On top of the end of the parapet, fix a wide railing board so that it protrudes outward and inward of the balcony by about 50 mm;
Outside, the brick parapet must be plastered with a reinforcing fiberglass mesh, and painted with acrylic facade paint in any suitable color.

Installation of metal-plastic double-glazed windows requires certain knowledge and practical skills, so I recommend entrusting such work to qualified specialists in this matter. Firstly, it is more reliable and safe, and secondly, they give a guarantee for their work. In addition, when ordering windows with installation, you can get a discount on installation work.

Stage 2: flooring installation

Balcony floor slabs usually have a small thickness, therefore, before installing a fine floor covering, it must be insulated with high quality.

Floor insulation can be done with foam panels, extruded polystyrene foam sheets or mineral wool slabs.

The general principle of using these materials is approximately the same, so I will tell you how to do this using the example of foam sheets:

The concrete floor slab must be cleaned of construction debris, dried well, and covered with two layers of heated rubber-bitumen mastic;

If you use mineral wool as a heater, then for waterproofing you need to lay a vapor-permeable waterproof membrane or perforated plastic film on the slab;
Fasten wooden bars (logs) with a section of at least 60x60 mm to the floor along the balcony. The extreme bars must be laid close to the parapet, and to the wall in the apartment, and between the middle bars to maintain a distance of 300-400 mm;

In the gaps between the bars, lay foam panels tightly without gaps. If small gaps remain between the foam sheets, they must be filled with mounting foam;
On top of the insulation and longitudinal beams, lay a waterproofing of foil-foamed polyethylene foam (Penofol);

Penofol must be laid so that its foil side is facing up, and its edges should be bent onto the side walls, 60-100 mm on each side;
To provide a ventilation gap between the finishing floor and Penofol, wooden counter slats 15-20 mm thick must be nailed to the longitudinal bars;
On top of the counter rails, you can fix a fine floor covering. For arranging a wooden floor on a balcony, you need to use a grooved floorboard 40 mm thick.
You need to lay the floorboards across the balcony, and fasten it to the logs using galvanized self-tapping screws..

If you want to lay linoleum or laminate on the balcony, then you first need to equip the subfloor. To do this, it is necessary to fix sheets of moisture-resistant plywood or OSB with a thickness of at least 20 mm to the longitudinal bars. After that, the rough floor must be sanded, and a fine floor covering should be laid.

Stage 3: thermal insulation of the parapet and side walls

For normal thermal insulation of the balcony and loggia, it is very important to insulate the parapet and side walls with high quality, because they are in direct contact with cold air from the street. The main wall between the apartment and the loggia can not be insulated so that it freely passes heat from the heated room to the loggia.

Below is a step-by-step instruction in which I will talk about the insulation of walls and a balcony parapet using polystyrene foam and mineral wool:

Before starting work, all concrete and brick surfaces must be treated with an antiseptic penetrating primer. It fills the open pores between the particles of the material, and protects the wall from the formation of mold under the insulation;

Mount a supporting frame on the wall for fastening the finishing inner lining. It is made in the form of a crate of vertical bars with a section of 60x60 or 75x75 mm.
On the walls, the bars should be placed vertically, from the floor to the ceiling.. The extreme bars are installed at the corners of the balcony, and the intermediate bars are attached to the side walls, at a distance of 300-400 mm from each other.
It is more convenient to make the supporting frame for the parapet from three or four horizontal bars. The lower beam must be fixed to the parapet at floor level, and the upper beam must be fixed under the railing board. Mount one or two intermediate beams at an equal distance between the upper and lower bars;

When making a supporting frame, I advise you to lay electrical cables, heating pipes or other hidden communications along the walls in advance;
If you plan to insulate the balcony with foam, then it must be cut into separate plates. The width of each tile should be such that it fits snugly between two adjacent bars of the supporting frame;
Next, you need to prepare the adhesive solution. Apply several large dots of glue to the foam sheet, and press it against the wall in the gap between the frame bars;
Thus, you need to glue the foam on all the walls and the parapet of the balcony. If large gaps and cracks remain in some places, they must be blown out with mounting foam;

Wall insulation with mineral wool has some differences:

Before mounting the supporting frame, waterproofing must be fixed to the wall from a vapor-permeable membrane;
For fastening mineral wool, instead of glue, you need to use plastic dowels, better known as "umbrellas".

After installing the foam or mineral wool, Penofol must be fixed to the wooden bars with the foil side inside the balcony. To do this, it is convenient to use a furniture or construction stapler;
On top of Penofol, wooden counter rails 20 mm thick must be fixed. They will be used to fasten the inner skin;

If you plan to use drywall for finishing the walls and ceiling, then the counter rails must be mounted vertically, parallel to the lathing bars;
For mounting clapboard boards or plastic siding, the counter rails must be located horizontally, in four or five rows. The distance between them should be no more than 500 mm;
At the end of everything, you will need to finish the walls and parapet, and at the junction of each wall and floor, install a wooden or plastic plinth.

In the manufacture of a supporting frame for finishing sheathing, some craftsmen use a metal profile for drywall. At first glance, this option may seem simpler, but I do not recommend doing this. The fact is that metal has a higher thermal conductivity than wood, therefore, at the installation site of metal profiles, cold bridges form in the wall. They worsen the thermal insulation of the balcony, and can cause condensation in the insulation layer.

Stage 4: insulation of the ceiling

If you plan to install a separate heating system on the balcony, then we must not forget that the warm air from the radiators always rushes up. In order not to heat the neighbor's balcony from the top floor, I advise you to pay special attention to the thermal insulation of the ceiling.

The gap between the visor and the floor slab must be blown out with foam.

The concrete slab should be treated twice with a water-based penetrating antiseptic primer.;
Before installing the thermal insulation material, a vapor-permeable waterproof membrane must be fixed to the ceiling. It is needed so that moisture from the ceiling does not penetrate into the insulation;
On top of the waterproofing, fix longitudinal wooden bars with a section of 60x60 mm or more. The two extreme bars should be located at the very corners of the ceiling, and intermediate bars should be installed between them in increments of 300-400 mm;

The insulation cut in width must be laid between the bars. It cannot be glued to the waterproofing membrane, therefore, for fastening it is necessary to use plastic dowels "umbrellas";
To fill the gaps between the foam plates, you must also use mounting foam;
If warm, moist air from the room enters the insulation, condensation will form there. To prevent this from happening, a vapor barrier made of foil-foamed polyethylene should be nailed to the bars on top of the insulation;
Penofol must be attached to the ceiling in such a way that its edges fall on each wall by at least 80-100 mm;

To ensure the tightness of the vapor barrier, all joints of the panels and mounting brackets from the stapler must be glued with metallized aluminum tape;
Further fine finishing of the ceiling is carried out in exactly the same way as described in the previous section (points 11-14):

Nail longitudinal or transverse counter rails to the ceiling bars;
From below, fix the finishing decorative sheathing (gypsum board, lining or panel siding);
Carefully trim the hanging remnants of Penofol;
Install a decorative cornice or plinth around the perimeter of the ceiling.

Even with full observance of the insulation technology, condensation may form inside the heat-insulating sheathing. To protect wood from decay and mold, it is important to follow two simple rules. Firstly, all wooden parts must be treated with antiseptic impregnation before installation. Secondly, between the finishing sheathing and the insulation, always leave a ventilation gap 15-20 mm wide.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you can easily insulate any balcony or loggia in a city apartment without much difficulty. A visual guide to the insulation of balconies can be viewed in the video in this article. All your questions and wishes, I propose to discuss below in the form for comments.