How to make a wall insulation with expanded polystyrene

Foam polystyrene plates are one of the best and most comfortable building materials used for warming walls, floors or roofs of buildings. Due to its properties, the foam provides a sufficiently high insulation of the premises. The strengths of this material include its strength. It can tolerate a rather large mechanical load, having a minimum density.

Warming walls with expanded polystyrene can be done not only in low-rise buildings, but also when erecting large-panel houses. Also, this material is used for the reconstruction of old buildings, which is possible due to its density, which is usually minimal. The material does not give an additional load to the load-bearing structures.

Before starting work, the surface to be treated is inspected for cleaning or plastering. For washing, you can use a jet of water under a strong pressure, detergents. After this, the walls must be covered with a primer. A mixture for this is worth picking up a quality one. If the surface has a porous texture (for example, in buildings that are built of foam concrete), it is recommended to make a primer twice. Expanded polystyrene plates are easy to install, they are simply cut, and they are attached with a special adhesive compound or dowels.

Warming of walls with expanded polystyrene allows to increase not only the thermal insulation of the room, but also sound insulation. Doing such work is not recommended if the outside temperature is less than 5 and more than 30 degrees. Do not mount the plates with a strong gusty wind or precipitation.

When choosing adhesive for plates, you must first carefully read the instructions. It should be written in it that the product is suitable for gluing styrofoam. In addition, the surface to be treated must be completely dry. To obtain the best result, the adhesive can be used in combination with dowels. Wall insulation with expanded polystyrene is done as follows. On each plate, the adhesive is applied in several places, after which the panel is pressed against the surface. For better fixing, you can support boards with boards. After the entire wall is pasted, the gap between the sheets should be treated with a mounting foam.

In order to avoid condensation under the heater, it is recommended to leave small openings for ventilation in the plates above the windows and doors (if any). These openings are advised to be covered with a heat-insulating material having vapor-permeable properties (for example, mineral wool).

After the polystyrene is laid, it can be treated from above with plaster or covered with a facing tile. If the first method is chosen, then it is better to use a special brush having two edges, smooth and serrated. After the walls have been insulated with expanded polystyrene, a special adhesive base (about 1 meter wide) is applied to the reinforcing layer with a serrated tip. A fiberglass mesh is placed on top. With the help of the smooth edge of the brush, it "sinks" in the primer layer.

If the wall should be smooth, it is recommended that it be ground. The finished surface can be painted with structural paint, choosing any color for this. Expanded polystyrene is classified as self-extinguishing substance, however, when heated, it can melt and release toxic substances, so it is better to use it for exterior walls constructed of non-combustible materials.

Warming the house with your own hands is a very important task, therefore, it is necessary to approach it in the most responsible way. After all, it will depend on the correct thermal insulation, how comfortable and good it will be in the house. In addition, it will help reduce the cost of heating.