When repairing an apartment, it is important not only to choose the right insulation material, but also to fix it correctly. Only in this case, the insulation of the apartment will be carried out successfully. One of the most popular heaters is penoplex (penoplex). When installing it, certain rules must be observed. Therefore, before proceeding with the repair work, it will be useful to know how to fix the penoplex to different surfaces.
Advantages of penoplex
If we compare penoplex with such well-known heaters as mineral wool or polystyrene foam, then its advantages immediately become apparent.
- Penoplex is universal. It can be used to insulate floors, walls, roofs, basements both inside and outside the building. It does not lose its properties during freezing and thawing.
- It retains steam well and does not absorb moisture, which allows it to successfully perform its tasks in conditions of high humidity and the formation of abundant condensate.
- With proper installation, it provides excellent thermal insulation, which will not require replacement in the next few decades.
- It is easy to process, does not crumble, unlike polystyrene, it is simply mounted.
- Environmentally friendly and chemical resistant material.
Penoplex fastening methods
Due to its excellent characteristics, penoplex is increasingly being used to insulate buildings from the inside. With its help, thermal insulation of walls made of brick, concrete, wood or drywall is carried out.
Before fixing the insulation on the wall, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work. Using a spatula, scraper, sandpaper or any other tool, the surface is cleaned of dirt, dust and old coatings. If the wall is uneven, then it should be leveled with putty, and then primed using a deep penetration primer. Treatment with antiseptics to prevent the appearance of fungus will not interfere either.
In what ways can penoplex be fixed from the inside of the apartment?
- When insulating an apartment from the inside, adhesive bituminous mastic is often used. It is usually sold ready-made. The mastic is applied to the insulation plate with separate points, after which the penoplex is pressed against the wall for a while.
- When using adhesive dry mixes based on cement, the solution is applied to the entire surface of the slab with a notched trowel. Indoors, where the wall will not experience heavy loads, spot application of the mixture is allowed: on the edge of the slab and on several points in its center. First you need to prepare a solution by diluting the mixture with the required amount of water and mixing thoroughly with a mixer.
- To fix the penoplex on plasterboard or plastic surfaces, it is advisable to use a special adhesive foam. It, like ordinary polyurethane foam, is produced in cylinders. After applying it to the insulation, you must wait 10-15 minutes, then press it firmly against the wall.
- When insulating a concrete or brick wall from the inside, fungal dowels can be used to fix the foam. At least five pieces will be required for each plate. Four of them are located at the edges, and one fixes the plate in the center.
- Liquid nails are rarely used primarily because of their high cost. It is advisable to use them with a very small area of \u200b\u200bthe insulated surface.
To achieve the best result, it is recommended to combine dish-shaped dowels with other fastening methods. But you can limit yourself to applying an adhesive solution: the foam boards from the inside of the apartment practically do not bear the load.
Important nuances
There are a few more subtleties that should not be forgotten:
- Plates should be placed on the surface of the wall in a checkerboard pattern.If they have special grooves, then lay them in them, if not, coat the butt surfaces with glue.
- To fill voids at joints or corners, you can use mounting foam that does not contain toluene.
- After the walls are insulated from the inside, they are finely finished. If it is plaster, then it is not recommended to use a metal mesh, which may corrode in the future.
Features of mounting foam from the outside
Penoplex is also successfully used for external insulation, which is relevant for multi-storey buildings of old buildings, especially for corner rooms. Self-insulation of apartments from the outside is hardly possible, except for the apartment located on the ground floor. But knowing the basic rules for installing foam plastic from the outside, you can control the work of hired professionals.
- During installation, it is imperative to combine a special adhesive composition designed for attaching foam plastic to concrete, and plastic dowels. Glue is applied to the plate not in separate spots, but evenly.
- In order for the insulation not to slip during installation, a starting base plate is attached around the entire perimeter. It can be made of a bar or a metal profile and is attached strictly horizontally, for which a level is used.
- A layer of insulation 30-40 cm should extend beyond the insulated surface to prevent heat from escaping along the edges.
Ceiling insulation
At insulation of the ceiling in the apartment or on the balcony penoplex is attached to the surface with a special glue prepared according to the manufacturer's recommendations. After it dries, which usually takes about a day, the plates are attracted to the surface with plastic dowels. Then you can lay a reinforcing mesh, plaster and carry out a fine finish.
Floor insulation using foam
Penoplex is ideal for floor insulation in the apartment. The most common is the insulation under the screed, when the base of the floor is a concrete slab. The sequence of actions when using this floor insulation option is as follows:
- The surface of the concrete floor slab is cleaned of dirt and dust and, if necessary, leveled. To do this, you can make a sand-cement screed, which will provide a flat horizontal surface.
- Before laying foam on the floor, it is better to lay an additional layer of waterproofing, especially if the apartment is located on the ground floor. This will ensure a longer service life of the insulation.
- Penoplex plates are attached like tiles with an adhesive solution, which is applied with a notched trowel.
- A layer of waterproofing is laid on top of the insulation, after which a leveling screed is made under the final floor covering. When forming the screed, it is better to use a galvanized or fiberglass reinforcing mesh.
If it is planned to install underfloor heating in the apartment, then the insulation is carried out in a similar way. The leveling screed must be thick enough to accommodate the heating elements.
When forming a leveling screed, one should not forget about laying a damper tape between it and the walls. This will protect the surface from cracks when the material expands with a change in temperature.
The excellent properties of foam as an insulating material make it possible to use it to increase the thermal insulation of an apartment both from the inside and outside. The ease of its processing and fastening allows you to insulate the walls, floors and ceilings of the apartment with your own hands, without resorting to the expensive help of professionals.
