The better to insulate the windows on the balcony inside. How to insulate a balcony with your own hands: from a refrigerator to a warm island. Which heat insulator is better to use

Today's balcony in many apartments turns into a full-fledged room, a functional space. This is especially true for small apartments, whose residents appreciate every centimeter. If the balcony is insulated, it becomes an office, pantry, resting place, mini greenhouse, dining room or extra bed. There are many options for its use. The main thing is to do quality work on its insulation. Only in this case it will be warm and cozy on the balcony.

Features and Benefits

In the warm season, the whole family can relax on the balcony, but when autumn comes, this room becomes useless. If you warm it up, the situation will change. The advantage is that all the planned work is easy to do on your own. An additionally warm room is a space in which it is easy to create a small work area or a relaxation area. In addition, the presence of a warm balcony will automatically make the apartment cozier and warmer. You can attach a living room or a kitchen to it, depending on its location. This will create extra space.

Before you engage in insulation or glazing, you need to get expert advice. He will definitely tell you what load a warm balcony can withstand, whether it is worth strengthening it. If the base is a powerful concrete slab, the question of reinforcement does not arise. But the metal parapet must be reinforced with foam blocks or light bricks made of ceramic material. The same should be done in the case of unstable fastening of the reinforced concrete base.

Double-glazed windows can be used for insulation wooden frames. They are environmentally friendly, allow the windows to "breathe", but are expensive. Aluminum windows insulated with polyamide inserts increase the thermal insulation of the room. The most optimal would be the equipment of PVC windows with double-glazed windows, which will reliably retain heat.

Such windows are cheaper than wooden ones, but at the same time their thermal insulation is not inferior to aluminum ones.

What materials are better to choose

For finishing balconies or loggias today there are many varieties of finishing materials, with which they give even the most small room original and attractive look. The main thing is to do right choice finishing material. For insulation, experts recommend using cork, plastic panels, lining with a wooden or plastic base, drywall, plaster, MDF panels, decorative stone, aluminum profile, foam plastic, expanded polystyrene, penofol.

Mineral wool, foam plastic trim is an excellent solution for self-insulating a room.

In the case of an uninsulated balcony, it is better to give preference artificial stone, plastic frost-resistant lining, cork panels or tiles. The most commonly used finishing materials are:

Drywall

• This material is distinguished by the fact that it does not contain toxic substances, it is easy to process and is combined with other finishing materials in design. Drywall can be plastered, painted, wallpapered, paneled and clapboarded. With the help of such a versatile material, it is enough to simply turn the balcony into a full-fledged living room.

PVC panels

• A practical solution, but it is better not to use this material if the constant temperature on the balcony is below five degrees. This problem can be solved with the help of frost-resistant panels developed using new technologies. This material is not afraid of moisture, but is able to quickly lose color from direct sunlight. This point should be taken into account if the room is located on the south side. Advantages: low cost, quick and easy installation with glue.

Cork panels

• They create a cosiness that cannot be organized using other finishing materials. Cork panels are pressed cork oak bark. Cork panels are easy to install and are suitable for any type of balcony, regardless of the temperature level in the room. The cork panel does not absorb foreign odors, including the smell of tobacco. Lack of material - high price. For insulation, they also use inexpensive foam plastic, and mineral wool is perfect.

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

A balcony in a city apartment is a special space. This piece of the house, taken out under the open sky, can become an office, a greenhouse or a recreation area, it is only necessary to glaze and isolate it.

Warming the balcony with your own hands will save a lot of money. Sheathing in panel house, in "Khrushchev" is done taking into account the characteristics of the apartment and building.

• Step 1. To begin with, the old frames are dismantled, the surface is prepared and things are taken out. Insulation from the inside is an important step in the whole process.

• Step 2. At the second stage it is necessary to make a balcony glazing. Best Option there will be windows plastic pvc. Many people prefer to keep the old wood frames. However, remember that even if wooden structures in good condition, they will not be able to organize the same heat savings. There are gaps in the tree, so it is pointless to deal with insulation in this situation.

• Step 3. After the plastic windows are installed, you can begin to insulate the floor. Be prepared for the floor to be higher. Consider this if the ceiling in the room is low.

• Step 4. Wall cladding is carried out after the installation of windows and floor insulation. The walls on the balcony are considered side walls, except for the main one. At the final stage of insulation, Finishing work. The choice of materials depends on the budget. During the finishing process, window slopes overlooking the balcony.

Necessary tools and materials

• In order to insulate a balcony or loggia, you will need the following tools: a hacksaw or a clerical knife; roulette; level; pencil, marker or any other writing instrument; glue application tool - brush, spatula and so on; other tools. Of the materials you need glue and the insulation itself. In addition, you will need a vapor barrier film and a windproof membrane.

You will also need a frame device. In this case, you will need wooden beams, as well as nails to secure them. You may also need special fasteners - nails with very wide hats. They are used when polystyrene is not fixed with glue.

Warming inside

• High-quality thermal insulation combined with double-glazed windows turns the balcony into a living space. It is necessary to insulate not only the walls, but also the floor with the ceiling. Insulation materials must be durable, lightweight, safe for humans. Due to precipitation and condensation, the walls of the balcony can become damp and moldy, which means that hydro and vapor barriers are needed.

Expanded polystyrenes meet these requirements as much as possible: traditional foam plastic and Penoplex thermal insulation boards. The first is very light, strong in compression, waterproof. Penoplex is an insulation made of extruded polystyrene foam. Its strength and durability exceeds conventional foam, and its shape simplifies installation in the clutch and provides perfect insulation. Sheathing the balcony with slabs can be done both inside and outside.

Insulation of a closed balcony begins with surface preparation. It is necessary to carefully cover the cracks and joints between the floor, walls and parapet with mounting foam without toluene in the composition. Metal constructions rust needs to be cleaned oil paint and treat with building antiseptic.

Before laying the insulation put windows and doors. Window sills and slopes are mounted at the last stage of work. Balcony glazing depends on the parapet. If this is just a metal crate, it needs to be built up with ceramic (lightweight) bricks or foam blocks. The thickness should not exceed ten centimeters. To protect the foam blocks, at the finishing stage they are covered with corrugated board.

Floor

It is possible to install window structures on a reinforced concrete parapet immediately, using various mounting and sealing compounds. Metal-plastic windows have excellent characteristics, with skillful installation they reliably protect the balcony and look aesthetically pleasing. When choosing a model, it is worth stopping at hinged frames with double glazing.

Floor

• In order to insulate the floor, you can resort to two different directions at once: make it warm or constantly heat it up. We are talking about installing a floor heating system, for example, an electric one. Installing a water system on a balcony is very inconvenient and almost impossible, but installing an electric or film system is easy.

photos

It all starts with preparation. A waterproofing film is laid on the floor under the tiles, protecting the floor from moisture from the outside. Next, a crate is arranged. Instead of a log, a beam is used, five centimeters thick. If you do not want to raise the floor much relative to the old coating, it is better to use a beam of low height. A square bar 50 × 50 mm is perfect. The beams are laid every 40-60 cm.

To prevent moisture from entering the insulation from the inside, it is covered with a vapor barrier film. It is laid on top of the beams and attached to them with a construction stapler. For internal fastening, a fastening step of 50 cm is sufficient so as not to create unnecessary holes in the film. Polystyrene must be protected from moisture on all sides. Therefore, it is better to lay the film with an overlap on the walls. All gaps between the beams and the walls should be sealed with the same insulation material or mounting foam.

Walls

• Many do not insulate the walls, believing that cold does not enter the balcony from the side of the house. In many ways it is, but the work needs to be done. The walls themselves are not sources of cold, but the joints between them and the side walls of the balcony can be. For this reason, all work can only consist in installing penofol, which is vapor-tight and thin. It will protect the walls from icing and the penetration of condensate into the balcony.

• Ceiling. If we are talking about a private house, it is best to make a special roof design. It is recommended to make a pitched roof, the slope of which is directed away from the house. The roof is made of rafters and battens. A waterproofing film is attached on top of it. Attached to film roofing material, and waterproofing over a double-sided vapor barrier film, with the absorbent side inward. From below, the rafters are hemmed with a vapor-permeable windproof membrane.

The floor slab, that is, the horizontal part, must have several layers at once: insulation; vapor barrier layer; load-bearing beams with interior trim. The device begins with the installation of the frame, namely truss system. Next, a double-sided vapor barrier membrane is attached to it in the indicated way. Then arrange the crate and lay the waterproofing layer. You can use classic roofing material or special PVC films.

• Warming outside. In order to insulate the balcony from the outside on your own, you will need skills. It is not easy to do quality work yourself, taking into account the characteristics of the building. Finishing the outside means saving up to thirty percent on heating. Remember that outdoor work is fraught with some difficulties: if the balcony is above the second floor, then industrial climbers will have to be involved in the work.

Before you start insulation, get the consent of officials from the Department of Architecture. The appearance of the balcony can spoil the overall picture, but if you complete the decoration in the same style as the entire building, then you can get permission. Insulation from the outside has several advantages:

• the reinforced concrete slab remains warm, moist air from the room freely passes through it and is released into the atmosphere;
• saving usable space;
• you can mount a layer of thermal insulation of any thickness, this will not affect the interior of the balcony in any way.

Materials can be used the same as for interior work. Preference is given to sprayed thermal insulation, as the lightest and most effective. Experts recommend using foam or polystyrene foam. Mineral wool is sensitive to moisture, so its installation requires special care and accuracy.

The independent procedure for warming a balcony is complicated. All stages must be completed at a high level, otherwise the room will not be completely isolated. Glass, panoramic, stained glass balcony is a great solution for a small space. Designers advise to connect it with a room for expansion. glazed balcony, connected to the kitchen on the top floor - a luxurious solution.

The loggia is a part of the apartment that requires high-quality insulation. If you leave it in its original state, then in winter the cold will penetrate into the rest of the premises, and this is an extra cash cost for heating. Owners who do not know how and with what to insulate the balcony on their own invite workers whose services cost a lot of money. And it’s good if hired craftsmen turn out to be professionals, because contractors with a lack of qualification often come to the call.

Show all

If we take professionals as an example, they first visually assess the condition of the balcony and take into account the year in which it was built. apartment house. Then they pay attention to the frame (metal or wooden) and evaluate the dilapidation of the skin. Last but not least, experienced workers compare neighboring loggias and can offer the owner to make a design in the same style as them.

Because of the old-style balconies, all the work becomes more complicated, especially if this building is not closed, but open. In this case, the craftsmen are engaged in additional strengthening of the structure and replacing rotten parts: they cut off the rusted metal elements of the frame and reconstruct the concrete site. The upper and lower parts of the balcony are reinforced without fail.

how to insulate a balcony with your own hands

It is after the measures to restore the structure that the specialists are engaged in facing and internal thermal insulation of the room. Often, owners prefer to equip their balconies with foam blocks and double-glazed windows. The stones are laid out at half the total height of the loggia, and the open space is closed with windows. The result is not only an attractive appearance buildings, but also significantly increases its strength. By the way, a double-glazed window will significantly warm the room.

If the owner of the apartment changes the windows to plastic ones, then it is advisable for him to purchase products with double glass, since single ones retain heat by only 30% in the cold season.



Without preparing the balcony, one cannot approach subsequent cardinal actions. Before purchasing materials for warming the loggia, inside the premises, specialists carry out the following work:



The interior arrangement of the loggia concerns not only the ceiling and walls. It is equally important to insulate the floor, for example, with penofol.



For internal insulation almost all structures use polystyrene foam very widely. Its low cost does not affect the quality. It is sold in the form of plates with a thickness of 5 cm or more. If the apartment is located in the conditions of the north, then it is better to use sheets 15 cm thick. For the installation of foam, they make a crate with the same cells. Expanded polystyrene is convenient in that it can be easily cut with an ordinary knife.

The positive aspects of this insulation is that it is odorless, does not emit harmful substances, environmentally friendly and does not affect human health. Sheets, as a rule, are fixed on special "umbrellas" or building glue. As a savings, it is better to insulate the balcony inside it.

Mineral wool is also quite popular. Such insulation is slightly more expensive than foam plastic, but this is due to the additional sound insulation that the material has. Therefore, using mineral wool, you can not only insulate the structure with high quality, but also eliminate street noise. It is sold in the form of yellow rolls.

Insulation of the loggia Secrets of skill from Alexei Zemskov

The fire safety of this insulation is at a high level, and the absence of a specific smell makes mineral wool one of the most popular. The material begins to melt at a temperature of 1000 degrees. Under such rolls, it is also necessary to make a crate. Another plus is easy cutting. The disadvantage is due to the composition, which includes powdered glass, which sticks into the skin when working and causes itching and redness.

Penoplex - a new insulation that appeared on the market building materials relatively recently and has already become popular. It has a low weight, due to which it is convenient to work with it. Penoplex is produced in the form of rectangular sheets, the cutting of which is possible even with a clerical knife. According to the method of attachment, it is similar to foam, which is glued or fixed with fasteners. The surface of the material is rough, so it does not slip in the hands.



Granular expanded clay is often laid on the floor. Such insulation for a balcony inside has a porous structure and consists of baked clay, so it is environmentally friendly. Builders use it to insulate floors and ceilings.

The work process is simple, it is enough to create a layer of expanded clay and spill it with liquid cement so that the granules are held together. But keep in mind that such material will take 15-20 cm of height from floor to ceiling. In addition, a thin-layer screed will have to be poured over the expanded clay, because the relief surface will not be suitable for laying, for example, the same parquet or laminate.

Another option for insulation - penofol. It is made from polyethylene foam. The material is especially suitable for water-heated floors, as it has a foil coating with a heat-reflecting effect. This insulation has 4 advantages: it does not let the wind through, retains heat, prevents the penetration of water and has vapor barrier properties. Penofol is flexible and easy to cut, and environmentally friendly substances do not harm human health. They produce insulation in the form of rolls, therefore, it is convenient to work with it. The installation process takes no more than 1 hour.

Insulation of balconies and loggias: eight mistakes of finishers

As previously mentioned, foam plastic is cheap, but nevertheless it is practical, many builders use it. What is the best way to insulate a balcony from the inside with polystyrene foam:



Wall thickness from edge interior decoration to the outside, given the foam block, should be 30 cm. This is enough to retain heat and prevent the penetration of cold into the room.

Pouring concrete, expanded clay layer and similar methods cost a lot of money. You can make a similar insulation, but at the same time save money. An option for a cheap finish made of wood and foam can be like this:



How to insulate a balcony? Choice of heater.

Specialists always start finishing from the walls and ceiling, and at the end they deal with the floor. If everything is done the other way around, then the base will be damaged, and the front surface will be scratched.

It is very difficult to calculate the final amount, because many factors affect it. First, you must first decide whether the loggia will be a living room. If yes, then you will have to spend money on double-glazed windows. Secondly, the prices for heaters change almost every day. Thirdly, you need to decide what kind of furniture the room will be furnished with. Therefore, you should not allocate a strictly fixed amount for such an event; it is better to prepare additional finance just in case in case unforeseen expenses arise.

It is also recommended to prepare an estimate in advance and find a cheaper source of sales of the material, for example, not through intermediaries, but directly buy building materials at the base. If you turn to specialists for help, they will take into account the following points:



Also, you may have to spend money on furniture and other interior items.

Arranging a loggia with the help of specialists will cost a large amount, which will significantly hit the wallet. But if you insulate the balcony inside with your own hands, then the final expense will be approximately 10 thousand rubles.

In this article, we will talk about how to protect the walls of the loggia from the penetration of cold, and also give advice on what tools and materials will be useful to you for this purpose. But first I would like to dwell on those problems that will have to be overcome in the process of work.

Common Mistakes

A serious problem is created by condensate, which forms from the inside on the cold surface of the walls and ceiling. As a result, damp areas appear, which very quickly become covered with a layer of mold. This happens due to poor ventilation, improper insulation and heating systems.

When the ventilation of the room does not work correctly, the air quickly moves from the warm part of the apartment to the cold, i.e. to the loggia. There, excess moisture settles on the coldest surfaces. Ordinary doors help to avoid such a negative effect, which separate rooms with different temperature conditions, and, consequently, with different humidity.

Insulation systems also cause a lot of trouble. If, for example, the insulation of the walls and floor was done incorrectly, then moisture will certainly leave its marks on the problem areas of the loggia.

If you decide to save on foam, and instead sealed the seams between the plates with a putty mixture, then condensation is very likely to settle in these places with all the ensuing consequences. It is better not to make such mistakes at all, since it will be very difficult to eliminate them. Therefore, it is very important to adhere to the technology of all insulation processes.

Often the problem is a poor-quality loggia heating system. If this process occurs only due to warm air from the next room, then mold will certainly form in the cold corners of the outdoor room. Therefore, it is advisable to start wall insulation with floor insulation on the loggia.

This is also important in order to comply with building codes, because the installation of water heating on balconies is prohibited. A well-equipped warm floor is sensitive to temperature changes in its various areas and automatically eliminates this imbalance.

Silence

Insulation of walls, in addition to its main purpose, has other positive effects. It becomes much quieter on the loggia, which means that the noise level is significantly reduced in the rest of the room.

After all, it is the loggia that is exposed to numerous noise influences from the outside.

Material selection

The modern market of thermal insulation materials provides customers with a huge choice, which is quite difficult for a beginner to understand, so it is better to seek advice from specialists. Many of them are advised to opt for extruded polystyrene foam or, as it is called in everyday life, penoplex.

This material has excellent heat-saving properties, high strength and low hygroscopicity. In addition, it is easy to process, featuring high environmental standards and chemical neutrality.

Other types of foam are widely used as a heater, however, unlike foam plastic, they have more modest thermal insulation characteristics. Often for and loggias use penofol and mineral wool.

Wall insulation

Insulation of the walls of the balcony consists of several stages. Let's consider each of them in detail.

It is possible to successfully insulate a wall only if the corresponding preparatory work. Do not be too lazy to spend time preparing, this will provide an excellent result.

First of all, thoroughly clean the walls of the old coating. It’s good if, before warming, you replace obsolete window structures on double-glazed windows, and also remove the old mounting foam from the frames.

For this, it is best to use a clerical knife. If there are significant mold formations on the inside of the walls, they must be eliminated. In this case, a fungicide spray will do.
Then you should carefully mark the lines for fixing the foam sheets.

Laying the insulating layer

At first, warming a loggia may seem like a rather complicated and time-consuming process. However, if you decide to try, you will quickly realize that there are no particular difficulties here. All operations are quickly mastered and do not require special construction skills.

From the balcony it will also be possible to make a comfortable and useful room. For example, equip it with an office, a workshop, a small sports section or a comfortable lounge.

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If there is a need to expand the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room due to the structure on the front side of the building, then the insulation of balconies and loggias is a paramount task. If you insulate this part of the apartment from the inside, you can achieve the best results, avoid heat loss in winter.

Differences between a balcony and a loggia

Although these structures have the same purpose, they differ in structure, and their insulation scheme will be different because of this. The balcony has a parapet, it protrudes beyond the facade. This element can be sheathed with plastic panels, have a lattice fence, concrete, wood. The loggia does not protrude outside the building. It is fenced with a brick or concrete parapet, looks like a recess in the facade structure, has adjacent walls with apartments or other loggias. Regarding the balcony, the loggia is more convenient for glazing, able to withstand a lot of weight.

Insulated loggia

Features of the work

Warming and – quite a complicated process. Problems arise due to the lack of walls connected to a warm room. If you want to get high-quality thermal insulation of a balcony, you need to start with its glazing. It is recommended to use triple glazing. keep heat worse, especially if the frames are old. Using them, you will waste your time and money in vain. After the glazing is completed, you can proceed to the insulation of the remaining parts of the structure: this is the floor, walls, parapet.

Installation of a structure for glazing a loggia

Use of aluminum

Closed seam and installed crate

Starts without insulation . The goal is to close all gaps from which cold air can enter. When it comes to double-glazed windows, mounting foam or sealant is used.

If the gap is large, you can close it with plywood, use foam, then close it with foam. Excess foam is cut off with a knife. After that, you need to take care of waterproofing. Suitable for both rolls and liquid materials. If you use roofing material, it must be laid with an overlap. It is desirable to solder the seams with a special burner. If the materials are liquid, use a roller or brush, cover them consistently with the entire area of ​​​​the floor and walls.

Warming and decoration of the balcony, loggia occurs after the manipulations with waterproofing are completed. To do this, you need to use a heater. Most often, foam or mineral wool is used. The insulation must be covered with a layer that does not allow air to pass through. You can use ordinary polyethylene film, special vapor barrier in rolls or. The last option is the most reliable. You need to use a material that has a metallized side. It is necessary to lay penofol butt-to-butt.

The seams must be glued with aluminum tape. This will keep the heat inside the room. Penofol is placed with foil relative to the room. This is done so that the heat is reflected and does not go beyond the balcony. Finishing and insulation of balconies and loggias with this material occurs according to the same principle.

Ways to insulate the loggia

There are different options for warming the loggia. You need to choose a method regarding your plans for using this room. If stocks of vegetables, rolls, products are stored on the loggia, a thick layer of insulation is not needed. If you plan to turn the loggia into a small office, greenhouse, living room, you will need a double layer of insulation, high-quality closure of all cracks.

You can save a little by insulating the parapet from the side of the ceiling, walls and floor in one layer.

There are also universal ways to insulate a loggia: for example, you can use. It is extruded polystyrene foam. The material does not absorb liquid, has high wear resistance, is able to retain heat inside the room with high quality. It is convenient to mount it, as the material is produced in the form of plates with spikes and grooves that are attached to each other.

Plate thickness may vary. They produce products from 2 to 10 cm. Plates can have a variety of sizes, be smooth, have recesses and protrusions. If you live in an area where winters are cold, it is recommended to use a plate with a thickness of at least 5 cm. For a milder climate, products with a thickness of up to 4 cm are suitable.

How to fix?

Warming balconies and loggias with your own hands requires knowledge of the sequence of actions. it is not difficult to mount, but the method of installation depends on how the finishing will be done. If you plan to use plastic, the plates can be fixed with dowels. It is best to use fasteners with a length of at least 8 cm. If you plan to plaster the slab, you can glue and fix it with a dowel.

It is worth remembering that insulation is first performed and then the loggia is finished. After you have made waterproofing, you can proceed to the installation of insulation. If you use penoplex, you don’t need it: the plates will hold well without it, and the presence of wood will not only increase the mass of the structure, but also make it colder, since wood has the ability to freeze through. If you plan to finish the finish with drywall, then the crate must be installed on top of the foam.

The material can be replaced with polystyrene foam if you do not have enough funds for repairs, however, it is not an analogue and is inferior to foam plastic in terms of thermal insulation quality.

What to sheathe?

Sheathing and insulation of the balcony can occur different materials. For example, you can use lining. It will not only give the balcony or loggia an attractive appearance, but will also act as an additional layer of thermal insulation. It is recommended to place polystyrene under the lining; you can use other types of insulation.

To install the material, a crate is required: it will need to be installed after applying a layer of waterproofing. The size of the cells of the crate should match the size of the foam sheets. They will need to be inserted inside and fixed, after which you can fill the gaps with mounting foam, insulate the floor, put logs. You can start installing the lining. After finishing work, it is recommended to varnish the boards. Finishing and insulating a balcony with your own hands using these materials is the simplest and most inexpensive means make the loggia warm.

For tight fixation, you can use dowels. Before using them, you must wait for the glue to dry completely; it usually takes about a day. A layer of vapor barrier must be laid on top of the mineral wool. After that, you can carry out the crate and proceed to the finish.

Balcony insulation options can be very diverse. They depend on how you plan to use the balcony, your financial capabilities, and fantasies.

September 4, 2016
Specialization: Capital construction works(laying the foundation, erecting walls, constructing the roof, etc.). Internal construction works (laying of internal communications, rough and fine finishing). Hobbies: mobile communication, high technologies, computer equipment, programming.

Recently, one of my acquaintances with an interesting name Gerasim (he has nothing to do with Mu-Mu, although he has been studying Russian literature all his life) turned to me with a question about how to properly insulate a balcony from the inside. The fact is that he took a two-room apartment with a huge balcony on a mortgage. And he had a great idea to convert it into an office where he is going to write his doctoral dissertation in philology.

I supported this sound idea with two hands and one foot. Especially if everything is done by hand. , the cost of such an alteration will be small. And the benefits of an extra small room hardly need to be explained to anyone.

Well, let's start with the presentation.

Possible problems with the insulation of the balcony

Before insulating the balcony inside, I recommend thinking carefully about all the pros and cons of such a solution. Despite the fact that more and more people resort to installing heaters before decorating this room, this operation has several disadvantages.

Here are the ones that I consider the main ones:

1. Reducing the usable floor space. If just finishing already reduces the size of a balcony or loggia, then an additional layer of heat-insulating material exacerbates the problem even more. Therefore, if you have a tiny architectural element, consider whether the additional area received is worth the money and effort spent.
2. The appearance of condensed moisture inside structures. When using heaters, the dew point shifts inward, which leads to mold and damage to finishing materials.

This shortcoming, however, is easy to deal with. I will tell you how to insulate the balcony with your own hands from the inside so as to achieve the ideal microclimate inside.

Sequencing

The very technology of warming a loggia or balcony consists of several important steps:

1. Sealing gaps and eliminating defects. Before laying the insulation for the balcony inside, you need to get rid of all cracks, bumps, potholes and bulges. I recommend blowing out small cracks with mounting foam (just choose a quality one), cement mortar will cope with more serious troubles.

1. Installation of waterproofing. To do this, I always recommend my clients to use penetrating materials. For example, Avatron or Penetron. They are easy to apply with a sprayer, but you can also use a simple roller or brush.

The peculiarity here is that the liquid penetrates deep into the mineral surfaces, as a result of which they are not only protected from water, but also do not freeze during operation at low air temperatures.

Penetrating waterproofing, among other things, eliminates minor defects that are not visible to the naked eye. But they still affect the effectiveness of insulation, so they need to be eliminated.

1. Heat insulator installation. It is easy to do it inside with your own hands. You do not need to install scaffolding or call aerial platforms. The main thing is to strictly follow the technology, which I will discuss below.

When choosing materials for work, immediately think about whether you will insulate the floor and ceiling. For these surfaces, more durable heat insulators are needed that do not change their properties from external mechanical stress.

1. Arrangement of a vapor barrier layer. It is needed just in order to avoid the condensation of moisture that forms on the balcony inside the heat-insulating materials. For this, vapor-permeable polymer membranes are used, for example, Isospan or Rockwool.

By the way, you can avoid this stage by using heat insulators with a foil layer, placing it inside the balcony. But I, nevertheless, would recommend not to save. Moreover, the vapor barrier membrane will not increase the estimate much.

1. Decorative decoration of the balcony. It all depends on your imagination, the amount of money and the purpose of the room. I cannot give specific advice.

Restrictions on insulation of balconies

But I can tell you what is absolutely impossible to do when decorating a balcony or loggia. Moreover, violation of these rules may result in administrative or criminal liability.

So, it is forbidden:

1. Demolish load-bearing partitions between two balconies (loggias) or this room and the residential part of the apartment.
2. Install engineering communications on the balcony (in particular, heating, water supply and sewerage) connected to the general system of the apartment.
3. To equip a kitchen or a bathroom on the balcony (although, as you understand, no one forbids an office or a bedroom).
4. Install glazing on balconies that are equipped with fire escapes to evacuate people during a fire.
5. Mount hanging flower beds or devices for drying clothes outside the enclosing structures of the balcony.
6. Reduce the height of the parapet of a balcony or loggia (by dismantling the upper part or raising the floor). The minimum height of the parapet should be 1.1 meters.
7. Violate the appearance of the facade of the building (this is for information, so insulating the balcony from the inside with your own hands, you are unlikely to cause damage to the exterior of the house).
8. Independently glaze balconies located above the 9th floor, while violating the requirements of fire safety.

As you can see, not all of these requirements are observed by our compatriots, but my conscience would be restless if I did not tell you about them.

Now a little about the materials that can be used.

Heat insulators for internal insulation of balconies

For thermal insulation of such premises, a huge amount of materials is used. I have compiled a table that lists the most popular varieties with an indication of the features of each.

Name	Description
Styrofoam	Dense material with a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, having a finely granulated porous structure. Do not confuse styrofoam for thermal insulation and packaging foam. The latter has large pores and breaks quickly. Not suitable for floor insulation, as it does not withstand the load. It can be used for installation on the enclosing plate, walls and ceiling.
Extruded polystyrene foam	A material that perfectly retains heat indoors and, thanks to a special production technology, has increased mechanical strength. Microorganisms do not multiply on the surface of expanded polystyrene, it is non-flammable and environmentally friendly.
Penofol	Another name for the material is polyethylene foam. For balconies, it is better to use insulation with a foil layer, which reflects thermal energy and prevents moisture from the insulation layer. The foil, among other things, plays the role of a vapor barrier membrane.
polyurethane foam	A special composition that is applied to surfaces using special equipment. After hardening, it forms a homogeneous heat-insulating layer that prevents unproductive consumption of thermal energy and cooling of the balcony. The material is great for warming, but you can’t cope with its application with your own hands.
Mineral wool	A material based on basalt fiber, which is great for insulating walls and ceilings of a balcony. To increase efficiency, it must be protected from moisture. It is impossible to insulate the floor with mineral wool, as it does not withstand significant mechanical stress.
Multilayer panels	We are talking about sandwich panels, which are used for both insulation and decoration of the balcony. They have a beautiful top layer that does not require additional finishing. Thermal insulation is glued from below, which reduces the coefficient of thermal conductivity of enclosing structures.

Ways of internal insulation of the balcony

On this, I consider the theoretical part to be over and proceed to the presentation of specific schemes for the internal insulation of balconies and loggias with the help of several, in my opinion, the most effective materials.

Method 1 - Styrofoam

The most common option is polystyrene foam. It has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity and is easily mounted with your own hands inside the balcony.

I tell you how to insulate the balcony from the inside with polystyrene foam:

1. After carrying out preliminary operations (sealing gaps and waterproofing), I always treat the surface with a penetrating primer. It improves the adhesive properties of mineral surfaces, removes dust from concrete monoliths and reduces the consumption of the adhesive composition.

Processing can be done with a regular brush or spray. Very carefully process not only the walls, but also the ceiling with the floor. Otherwise, then there will be difficulties when gluing polystyrene foam.

1. It is possible to continue work after priming only after the composition has completely dried, which takes about 6 hours. If the walls of the balcony where I work are made of porous materials (for example, foam concrete), I always prime everything twice.
2. After priming, you can proceed with the installation of expanded polystyrene, which is supplied in slabs. Installation is carried out using glue and special fasteners with wide caps.

I prepare the adhesive composition from the purchased dry powder. It is necessary to mix it with water in the proportions indicated in the instruction manual, and then achieve uniformity using a mixer connected to a drill.

I apply the finished glue to the heat-insulating material, after which the expanded polystyrene sheet is glued to the wall. I do the same with other materials, placing them in a checkerboard pattern with overlapping joints.

To compensate for the thermal expansion of the material, during installation, I recommend deviating from the corners of the order of 3 cm, and also leave small gaps between the plates themselves.

1. In order for the plates to fit firmly, you need to fix them with dowels with plastic caps. To do this, I use a drill to make a hole in the polystyrene foam and the wall, after which I install the appropriate bracket there.

1. Considering that polystyrene foam does not absorb water, a vapor-permeable membrane can be omitted. Although I see no reason to buy and fix a special film on the surfaces.
2. The last step is plastering. To avoid destruction decorative coating, you must first fix the fiberglass reinforcing mesh on the foam polystyrene plates, and already plaster on it. That's exactly what I do.

1. Before plastering, you can install perforated galvanized corners on the corners, which will facilitate the work and protect the corners from damage during operation.

Method 2 - Penoplex

This material is also widely used for internal insulation of balconies. You can mount it on the walls using a special bituminous mastic, building foam or plastic dowels with wide caps.

I'll tell you how I make foam insulation using polyurethane foam:

1. To begin with, as in all other cases, defects are repaired and the surfaces of the balcony are waterproofed. By the way, the primer will not hurt either.
2. After performing the preparatory operations, it is necessary to squeeze out the mounting foam from the perimeter along the perimeter of the pre-fitted foam slab. More foam is not needed, the insulation will already be securely fixed to the surface.

1. After waiting a few seconds, you need to attach the material to the wall.
2. Further work is carried out using a similar technology. Naturally, I recommend moving the seams in a checkerboard pattern to avoid the formation of cold bridges that reduce the effectiveness of ongoing insulation work.
3. To keep the insulation stronger, it can be further strengthened with dowels with wide caps. Although it is not necessary to do so.

If you, like my neighbor, want to equip a living space on the balcony, I recommend installing two layers of foam insulation with overlapping seams. In this case, it will be warm and cozy on the balcony, and you will not have to spend a lot of electricity on heating.

1. The last stage is decorative finishing. Here I completely shift the responsibility for the choice of materials to you. Think for yourself, decide for yourself.

Method 3 - Mineral wool

Well, I can not tell you about the use of mineral wool insulation. I can’t say that they are very effective, but they are very popular. I focus on them only because the laying technology itself is more complicated here.

The fact is that mineral wool is very soft and does not have rigid geometric dimensions as such. It is produced in the form of rolls into which material is rolled up with a thickness of 2 to 20 cm.

I recommend buying stone (basalt) wool with a heat-reflecting foil layer for arranging a balcony. The latter will effectively protect the insulator from moisture and play the role of a reflective screen that traps the thermal energy of heating devices inside the room.

Considering the described specifications, it is possible to mount the insulating material only under a pre-arranged crate made of wooden bars or galvanized profiles. But this is good, since you can then install a decorative cladding on the crate. For example, lining or plastic panels.

For example, I will tell you about insulation using wooden blocks. It is better to take not square, but rectangular lumber with a section of 3 by 5 or 3 by 7 cm. This will save the useful area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe balcony.

The crate can be installed in two ways:

• horizontally - if later you trim the balcony with plastic panels;
• vertically - if as a material for decorative finishes you have chosen a lining.

In all other cases (plywood, drywall, OSB boards, and so on), the direction of the elements of the crate does not matter.

I recommend fixing the crate on all surfaces with anchor bolts. At the same time, make sure that the bars are installed at the same level, so that later you do not have problems with decorative trim.

If you bought mineral wool to insulate the balcony, be sure to buy vapor-permeable membranes for it. The fact is that the fibrous material loses its heat-preserving functions very much after getting wet from water vapor coming from inside the room.

Having described all the important, in my opinion, nuances, I can now tell you about the technology of the work. It's all on paper:

• install the crate, following the verticals;
• insert heat-insulating material between the crate;
• from above, protect it with a polymeric vapor-permeable membrane;
• after that, mount the selected decorative coating.

Most often, the lining acts as the latter, which is why the crate is needed.

Floor and ceiling insulation

Having dealt with the walls, you can go to the ceiling. To insulate it, I recommend using foam. Moreover, you need to buy the usual material for insulation and that variety of it, which is supplemented with a heat-reflecting foil layer, which increases the strength of the material and helps to keep the heat inside.

Before starting work on insulating the ceiling of the balcony, ask the neighbors from above if they insulated their floor. If the answer to this question is yes, buy a beer to the owner as a token of gratitude and safely skip the next few paragraphs, moving on to the floor (for which, by the way, the neighbor from below will later owe you a beer).

You need to insulate in the same way as the walls, using polyurethane glue and dowels. Only first you need to stick the first layer, and on top - the second, with a heat-reflecting surface.

The seams between the parts must be sealed with mounting foam, and at the end - glued with a special metallized adhesive tape. In this case, even a strong cold will not prevent you from creating an immortal masterpiece in your office on the balcony.

If, of course, you take care of floor insulation, which, for example, I carry out as follows:

• I clean the floor surface from the remnants of building materials, cement influx, dirt, debris, glue, and so on;
• I cover the floor with penofol;
• on top I mount a crate from pre-cut electric jigsaw wooden bars;
• I install heat-insulating material inside the crate, sealing the cracks with construction foam;
• I mount a draft floor from plywood or OSB boards;
• I lay on top flooring(usually linoleum or laminate).

However, my neighbor - a future professor - wanted to make a heated floor in his balcony office. So I had to tell him the order of work in this case:

• on the reinforced concrete floor of the balcony, you need to make a screed using a self-leveling mixture in order to level out all the protrusions and irregularities;
• on top of the frozen screed, you need to lay a layer of heat-reflecting material with a heat insulator;
• mount the heating electric cable from above, securing it with a special tape (you remember that water heating you can’t do it on the balcony, which means a water-heated floor too);
• pour another layer of cement screed on top;
• install the selected decorative flooring.

Decorative decoration of the balcony

I will end my story with a short story about how to finish the balcony after it has been insulated. To do this, you can use many different materials:

• plastic panels;
• ordinary and decorative plaster;
• wallpaper;
• tiles;
• wooden lining.

Considering that I told you how to insulate a balcony with mineral wool, I will continue this topic. I will describe how you can install lining or plastic panels on the walls. The technology is very similar, since both of these materials are separate lamellas connected to each other using a special system of spikes and grooves.

And there is not much to do here:

• the first part is mounted on the installed crate, starting from the corner;
• after that, all subsequent parts are installed.

I try to give preference to wood, as it is natural material, but plastic is easier to work with, does not require additional finishing and is cheap.

Output

That's it, I will no longer distract your attention, because I think you can not wait to start warming your own balcony. Or to write a dissertation in philology. By the way, I would be grateful if you write about the results of your efforts in the comments to this article.

And for those who are interested in other issues related to repair and decoration, I recommend to look video in this article.