Apartment owners are trying to make optimal use of the entire area available in the house. Therefore, insulating the loggia from the inside is a very good way to expand the living space and make the room cozy, used at any time of the year.
This problem can be solved using several types of materials. Please note that the insulation should be comprehensive from the installation of warm windows to the finishing of all surfaces. This will minimize heat loss and keep the temperature at the same level.
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What it is?
Penoplex is an extruded polystyrene foam with high resistance to water and significant density. It is used as an insulation material for interior and exterior decoration of various types of buildings. The substance perfectly tolerates the effects of any temperature and weather conditions, which foam and polyurethane foam cannot boast of.
Advantages and disadvantages
Penoplex is a substance that allows you to achieve optimal heat conservation performance. Among its advantages, several properties can be distinguished:
- Low water permeability, since the substance does not absorb water and retains its properties even when used in a humid environment.
- High strength and relatively low weight. This makes it much easier to work with.
- A significant period of operation (up to 50 years). It should be noted that penoplex does not crumble and does not lend itself to destruction by rodents, in contrast to foam.
- Plastic. The substance bends perfectly, which makes it possible to finish it even on rounded surfaces.
- Safety for humans. The product does not emit any toxic substances and can be used in any residential building.
- Low coefficient of thermal conductivity. The reason for this is the cellular structure of the material, which allows it to retain heat.
Penoplex is not a universal material, as it has a number of significant disadvantages:
- Although the substance is resistant to fire, it begins to smolder and melt at high temperatures. During these processes, very toxic products can be released that can poison the body.
- The material does not withstand prolonged exposure to the sun. Therefore, when finishing, it must be protected by covering it with cladding.
- Low level of noise isolation. This will lead to the transmission of all sounds from the outside, which is not always convenient and comfortable.
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Classification of finishing material
Warming a loggia with penoplex involves the use of several varieties of this product. Today, products are put on the market in the form of plates, the thickness of which can vary from 20 to 120 mm. The length of the products also varies from 120 to 240 cm, while the width is standard - 60 cm.
Penoplex can be conditionally divided into several categories:
- "Wall" material. Used for interior and exterior wall decoration. The density index of the substance reaches 33 kg / m3.
- "Roofing" penoplex involves fastening it to roof slopes or flat roofs. Has a slightly lower density than the previous form. Perfect for finishing the ceiling on a loggia.
- "Comfort". This brand of product is characterized by a density of 35 kg / m3, which is the optimal value for using it when insulating not only the loggia, but also other places in the apartment.
- "Foundation". This product is thicker than all previous counterparts. Perfect for finishing basements in multi-storey buildings.
- Penoplex "45". This material is the most dense and durable. Some professionals may even use it when building runways. It is rarely used in everyday life, since it has a very high cost.
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Determine the optimal thickness
In order to choose the right product, you should first of all decide what tasks it should solve. So, there are several recommendations of specialists, allowing you to choose the right thickness of the penoplex:
- To create comfortable conditions that allow you to store various food products on the loggia or simply dry your linen, experts recommend using sheets with a thickness of 2 to 3 cm.
- The best option for solving almost all issues with insulation is penoplex, the thickness of which reaches 4-5 cm. With the help of such a product, you can create conditions that allow you to stay on the loggia all year round.
Please note that it is not advisable to insulate the walls with several types of insulation, since they have different properties and it will be difficult to achieve the optimal effect. When buying penoplex, it is also advisable to take into account customer reviews about a specific brand of product.
Preparing the surface correctly
The technology for installing foam sheets is relatively simple and involves the performance of some preparatory operations:
- First of all, you need to take out all the furniture from the loggia, free the walls from hangers and other objects that will interfere with their coverage. Please note that you also need to first install high-quality windows with three-layer double-glazed windows.
- At this stage, all surfaces are cleaned (removal of loose plaster, etc.). An electric cable must be laid, which must be located inside a special corrugated pipe. The entire surface is additionally coated with special anti-fungal solutions.
Floor insulation algorithm
The procedure for installing a penoplex is very simple and therefore can be done by any person with your own hands. First of all, floor insulation is performed, in accordance with a certain sequence:
- Initially, a leveling concrete screed is formed, which makes it possible to additionally strengthen the concrete slab. Some experts recommend using solutions that include expanded clay when performing such operations. This allows you to slightly increase the thermal insulation characteristics of the base.
- When the base is ready, proceed to fixing the foam. This can be done with special glue directly on concrete. But many experts recommend equipping a wooden crate, between which sheets of insulation should be laid. This structure will act as the base for fixing the main floor.
- To insulate the surface better, experts recommend additionally applying a layer of material such as penofol. Please note that the laying of this substance is made with the foil side up. The joints are insulated with reinforced tape.
Wall decoration
This operation is in many ways similar to the previously considered algorithm. It can be broken down into several sequential steps:
- First of all, all the slots located in this plane are insulated. For such purposes, polyurethane foam is used, which, after drying, must be cut in such a way as to form an even plane with the wall. Experts recommend treating the surface with a liquid primer that can be applied with a regular brush.
- At this stage, the arrangement of the lathing is performed. For this, you can use both wood and metal. The latter type of substance conducts heat well, which can produce a kind of cold bridges to form. Therefore, experts recommend building a crate of wooden planks.
- When the frame is ready, we insulate the wall with foam sheets. Their shape and size should follow the dimensions of the cell into which they will be inserted. Please note that each sheet should fit into the groove with little effort and fit tightly in it, but not bend.
- All gaps at the joints must be filled with polyurethane foam, and then the surface is leveled with a knife. As in the previous version, the resulting surface can be additionally insulated with penofol. There is an alternative way of fixing the insulation to the walls using special glue. For this, the formation of a crate is excluded, but this option is not always practical and convenient.
Fastening insulation to the ceiling
The algorithm for warming this plane also presupposes preliminary preparation of the surface. Penoplex is fixed to the ceiling only with the help of special glue or nails. In order for the material to stick reliably, you need to coat the entire surface of the sheet and the place on the ceiling with an adhesive. For reliability, the sheets are held a little longer than when pasting other surfaces. When nails are used, they must be driven in in such a way that the cap sinks a little into the insulation. All the gaps formed are also filled with polyurethane foam, and then the surface is leveled at one level.
It should be noted that wall decoration with penoplex can be performed not only from the inside, but also from the outside. This will save a little space on the loggia. Such operations can no longer be done independently and therefore they are performed only by experienced specialists with the necessary equipment. After fixing this insulation, you can finish all surfaces with decorative materials of your choice.
Using this step-by-step instruction, you can easily insulate your loggia yourself and prepare it to arrange any living space there.
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