Popular facade panels with insulation serve as insulation and decoration. This means that they, unlike siding, do not require additional insulation or mesh for installation.
Due to this, installation is faster, and the likelihood of errors at all stages of finishing is reduced by reducing these stages. Thermal panels have an insulating and decorating layer. The latter is often imitation stone, brick, tile.
Panels with insulation are produced in the form of blocks, which are installed on the facade without installing sheathing. The thickness of the products ranges from 6–12 cm.
There are many types of panels to suit every taste.
In addition to the finishing layer and material that provides thermal insulation, they can have a hard layer and built-in fasteners underneath. The following is used as a decorating surface:
- clinker, glazed or porcelain tiles with marble chips for grouting;
- corrugated sheets with patterns of natural materials or metal samples made of aluminum;
- wood chips;
- imitation stone or marble.
Attention: for the convenience of facing corners, special elements for them are produced, which are chosen the same as the main wall, or stand out beautifully in a different shade.
Advantages and disadvantages
Installing panels for insulation and decoration provides you with many advantages:
- reducing the cost of heating or air conditioning in appropriate seasons due to insulation;
- lightness, due to which the external load on the walls and foundation is insignificant;
- gives a pleasant appearance to the building;
- resistance to external influences - weather, mechanical, chemical;
- easy to install without the help of professionals.
A few shortcomings that do not cover the disadvantages at all:
- deformation of two-layer slabs due to different densities;
- Some types of brick slabs must be grouted after installation.
Sandwich panels
These are three-layer panels for insulating the facade of a house, which include insulation and cladding on both sides. Manufacturers use samples made from shavings or metal as finishing. Such panels need additional coating, as they do not look presentable. Such panels can be used to completely build new houses or insulate existing ones.
Sandwich panels for exterior decoration of a house can be described as lightweight, durable, and heat-saving. They are produced by pressing insulation and outer skin. The dimensions of such panels are 12 cm width, 1–12 m length, 0.5–2.5 cm thickness. Installation is facilitated by the presence of special locks.
Thermal panels
They are also durable, with a service life of up to 50 years. Mineral wool cannot be used as insulation in facade tiles with insulation. They are produced in different thicknesses - 6–8 cm, so when choosing, be guided by the climate of the place where the house is located.
The optimal thickness of the panels will prevent the destruction of the house due to negative environmental factors or biological influences. Their main advantage is ease of maintenance, because they do not require much attention and are low in price compared to the cost of natural bricks.
Difficulty in installation may arise if the walls are uneven - then you need to install a wooden frame, pre-treating it with antiseptics, and then fix the warm facade panels. If you decorate a wooden house with tile-like panels, after a few years you can forget about the real material of the walls - the imitation of stone or brick on clinker tiles is so realistic.
Attention: warm base panels in dark shades with a thicker decorative layer are intended for this purpose.
Thermal panel with plaster
Looking like plaster, they are made from a foam board as insulation and 0.4–0.5 cm of marble chips. Their thickness varies between 5–10 cm.
Thermal panels with marble chips.
Thanks to their structure, insulated wall panels successfully withstand aggressive environments and are glued to external walls using ordinary foam plastic adhesive. There are two similar ways to install panels, which end with sealing the seams:
- Standard grout with marble chips to match the sample.
- By gluing the profile pieces onto the sealant.
Nuances taken into account during installation
As mentioned earlier, insulated façade panels can be easily attached to flat walls without any special preparation. Otherwise, you will need to level them by lining pieces of plywood, and before installing the panels, apply construction foam to the most convex point.
When the walls of the house are made of logs or you do not want to delay the installation process, the best option would be to install sheathing. It will facilitate the installation process, make the facade ventilated, eliminating the appearance of moisture under the finish. For an approximate understanding of how the process of finishing facades takes place, we provide the following instructions:
- Around the building, below, a line is drawn, from which we will begin to install wall decorations;
- If the building has a base, you also need to install a separate profile on it to drain precipitation and support the panels above;
- Next, you need to secure the frame from the beams that have dried and soaked in liquid from the fungus - here you need to take into account the dimensions of the panels;
Attention: use a level to level the sheathing - samples with locks are almost impossible to fix on curved beams.
- Start attaching the finishing material from any corner by installing corner elements or sawing off and installing the ends at 45 degrees.
Tip: to install the panels, use self-tapping screws for walls made of wood or lathing, and dowels for walls made of concrete or brick. In both options, keep the fasteners 4–5 cm longer.
- Install subsequent rows offset for added strength. For this purpose, samples are taken, cut to length or special ones.
Tip: to saw off the decorative part of the sample, take a grinder and select the required disk. The insulation can be carefully cut with a knife.
- Grouting must be done in dry, warm weather.
Attention! If your panels do not have hidden fastenings, make holes strictly in the seams - they can then be easily masked with the selected composition.
Conclusion
You learned what two- or three-layer samples are, and some of the features of working with them. Now you can improve the appearance of your home with insulated material. Such cladding is done quickly, does not require many associated costs, and most importantly, will last a long time. You can get acquainted with the structure and installation in more detail during the work process. Good luck with the finishing process.
Heat-saving cladding panels for external decoration of facades perform the function of a finishing material together with insulation of the room. Using them is much more economical than purchasing conventional panels and insulation separately.
The structure of all thermal insulation panels is the same. A two- or three-layer slab has a base - insulation, which is used as polystyrene foam, mineral wool. The top of the insulation is covered with a protective layer. On the front side, the façade panels with insulation are covered with a decorative layer. The most popular are heat-saving boards made to resemble brick, stone, and clinker tiles.
Types of facade panels for finishing the house outside.
Panels with insulation are produced in the form of blocks, which are installed on the facade without installing sheathing. The thickness of the products ranges from 6–12 cm. In addition to the finishing layer and material that provides thermal insulation, they can have a hard layer and built-in fasteners at the bottom.
The following is used as a decorating surface:
- clinker, glazed or porcelain tiles with marble chips for grouting;
- corrugated sheets with patterns of natural materials or metal samples made of aluminum;
- wood chips;
- imitation stone or marble.
Attention: For the convenience of facing corners, special elements for them are produced, which are chosen to be the same as the main wall, or stand out beautifully in a different shade.
Finishing the house with sandwich panels.
These are three-layer panels for insulating the facade of a house, which include insulation and cladding on both sides. Manufacturers use samples made from shavings or metal as finishing. Such panels need additional coating, as they do not look presentable. Such panels can be used to completely build new houses or insulate existing ones.
Insulated facade panels for the exterior of a house using sandwich panels can be described as lightweight, durable, and heat-saving. They are produced by pressing insulation and outer skin. The dimensions of such panels are 12 cm width, 1–12 m length, 0.5–2.5 cm thickness. Installation is facilitated by the presence of special locks.
Finishing with thermal panels.
They are also durable, with a service life of up to 50 years. Mineral wool cannot be used as insulation in facade tiles with insulation. They are produced in different thicknesses - 6–8 cm, so when choosing, be guided by the climate of the place where the house is located.
The optimal thickness of the panels will prevent the destruction of the house due to negative environmental factors or biological influences. Their main advantage is ease of maintenance, because brick panels do not require much attention and are low in price compared to the cost of natural brick.
Thermal panel with plaster for exterior finishing of the facade of the house.
The façade panels, which look like plaster, are made from a foam board as insulation and 0.4–0.5 cm of marble chips. Their thickness varies between 5–10 cm.
Thanks to their structure, insulated wall panels successfully withstand aggressive environments and are glued to external walls using ordinary foam plastic adhesive.
There are two similar ways to install panels, which end with sealing the seams:
- Standard grout with marble chips to match the sample.
- By gluing the profile pieces onto the sealant.
Advantages and disadvantages of facade insulated panels.
The facade panel has an important advantage - it is the ability to give the facade of any building the appearance of aesthetically ideal brickwork. All seams are clearly defined and represent a geometrically verified pattern; it is almost impossible to create such a pattern with a simple facing brick. Also, when using thermal panels, there is no need to painstakingly select shades of brick or stone.
If there are advantages, then there are disadvantages. Warm panels can only be installed on surfaces that have a perfectly even surface.
The next factor cannot be considered a disadvantage. Insulated facade panels have a high price. But in the future you will be able to save on something else. In most cases, the high cost of a product indicates a high quality material.
Do not leave a large space between the wall and the thermal panels, as this can lead to condensation.
Conclusion.
Many developers and people concerned with exterior home renovations carefully select facing materials that meet their requirements for appearance and performance characteristics. In this regard, facade insulated panels for home insulation are an excellent choice, allowing you to “kill two birds with one stone”: solve the problem with thermal insulation and transform the house beyond recognition in a matter of days.
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Facade panels with insulation (thermal panels) combine two functions: thermal insulation and decorative.
The use of such products allows you to save time and money, since instead of carrying out separate work on insulating walls and covering them, it is enough to just install thermal panels.
The market offers a wide variety of panels for exterior home decoration of various colors and materials.
Common to all types of thermal panels is the presence of at least two layers: an external decorative coating and an internal thermal insulation layer. Decorative coating performs the same functions as classic façade panels: protection from mechanical damage and from the effects of wind and moisture, giving the walls a complete look.
There are three-layer versions of products called sandwich panels. In them, the thermal insulation material is located between two facing layers made of metal.
For operation in conditions of increased fire hazard, four-layer thermal panels are produced, in which there is a fire-resistant material between the outer tiles and the insulation.
Main stages of production of insulated products with decorative coating: preparing block molds, foaming and drying insulation granules, laying a decorative layer in a block mold, adding granules, heating the structure with hot steam (necessary for the granules to expand and form a layer of insulation), cooling the panel.
The main purpose of using warm panels is to save on heating the building, allowing you to recoup the costs of their purchase and installation in the shortest possible time, provided that the house is located in a region with relatively cold winters. They are more expensive than conventional panels, but in most cases you will have to spend even more money purchasing siding and insulation separately (and installing them).
The products can be installed on most plastered and unplastered surfaces, including block and wooden walls, adobe brick, and expanded clay concrete.
NOTE!
Thermal panels not only retain heat inside the building during the cold season, but also prevent it from heating up in the summer.
Decorative finishing is made from the following materials:
- Clinker.
- Porcelain tiles.
- Aluminum.
- Cink Steel.
- Compressed wood chips.
- Pressed marble chips.
The main materials of insulation are,. The average density of this layer is 40 kg 3 /m, thermal conductivity is 0.020 W/m*C, thickness is 6 centimeters or more.
The high density of the material not only allows for better heat retention, but also increases its resistance to mechanical damage. The operating temperature range is between – 170 / +170 C. Despite the high fire resistance, the possibility of fire of the insulation is not completely excluded.
The weight of the panels varies between 10-25 kilograms. The approximate service life depends on the climatic conditions of the region, as a rule, it is 10-30 years.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
- Ease of installation: if the wall is fairly flat, then thermal panels can be installed even without preliminary installation of the sheathing.
- Reducing heating costs by 40-60%.
- Increasing the fire resistance of the facade.
- Protecting walls from the penetration of fungi and mold.
- Although the connected panels form a single whole, during operation it is easy to remove individual products for the purpose of replacing or repairing them.
- Moderate weight that does not create significant loads on the supporting structure and foundation. For this reason, thermal panels are suitable for cladding old houses.
- A variety of textures and colors.
- A good option for wall insulation.
Flaws:
- Insulation materials release toxic substances when burned.
- When installing products on uneven surfaces, it is necessary to equip the lathing, otherwise the panels will deform over time and lose their heat-shielding properties.
- The possibility of condensation forming between the supporting structure and the panels if installation technologies are violated.
- Possibility of deformation of products during storage (relevant only for two-layer options).
- When using cheap thermal panels, you need to grout the seams between the products with special solutions.
Varieties
Thermal panels are classified according to types of decorative finishes and insulation materials.
Insulation materials vary in density and operational features.
Four materials are used in production:
- Extruded polystyrene foam. Density – 35 kg/m3. It has a relatively high coefficient of moisture absorption, coupled with the presence of internal voids, this feature can lead to moisture getting into the insulation and the development of colonies of microorganisms. Service life – 15 years.
- Polyurethane foam (PPU). Density – 40 kg/m3. It is characterized by non-flammability and does not have the disadvantages of expanded polystyrene. The service life of foamed polyurethane is 50-60 years.
- Styrofoam. Density – 20 kg/m3. The most affordable and common option. Due to its low density, it has the lowest thermal insulation characteristics. The advantages of foam panels include high elasticity.
- Mineral wool. Density – 145 kg/m3. Due to its very high density, it loses its shape over time, so it is advisable to use this insulation with a metal decorative layer.
The following decorative finishing options are available:
- Clinker tiles. It is made from highly plastic clay, characterized by increased wear resistance and low water absorption coefficient. Clinker tiles create an additional protective layer, reducing the load on the insulation. The only drawback is the high price (imported products are especially expensive). As a rule, polyurethane foam insulation is covered with clinker.
- Porcelain tiles. It is made from a special powder under pressure at high temperatures. The powder contains quartz sand, clay, dyes and other additives. It has good performance characteristics, but has a significant drawback - heavy weight, which does not allow it to be used for finishing houses with weak foundations.
- Aluminum and steel. Used in the production of sandwich panels. Are the only options used together with mineral wool insulation. Aluminum is lighter but more expensive, while steel is a relatively budget option.
The most popular textures of thermal panels are brick and natural stone.
Manufacturers
Both domestic and foreign companies are represented on the market. German manufacturers specialize in the production of high-quality and expensive clinker tiles.
These include:
- T.M. A.D.W. – Klinker.
- TM Stroeher.
- TM Ammonit Keramik.
The prices of their products start from 1800 rubles per square meter of tiles.
Russian companies also produce clinker tiles, and you can find other finishing options from them.
- "Facade Materials Workshop". Produces tiles that imitate natural stone, brick and German clinker. Expanded polystyrene with a layer thickness of 50 mm is used as insulation. The average price of products is 1500-1800 rubles.
- FTP Europe. Manufactures clinker and porcelain tile thermal panels. The insulation materials used are polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam with a thickness of 60 or 80 mm. Product prices range from 1100 to 3600 rubles.
- "Forska". Specializes in the production of budget options priced from 1000 rubles. for 1 sq. m. Uses ready-made decorative finishing purchased from Western companies and combines it with insulation made of polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam.
- "Ermak". It specializes in mid-price thermal panels (RUB 1,800 – 3,000) based on polystyrene foam (40 mm thick) and clinker tiles.
Installation
Thermal panels can be installed directly on the wall or on the sheathing (frame). Frameless installation involves nailing the tiles to the wall using dowels through the holes in the product provided by the manufacturer.
The frame method is more complex. It is used if there are significant irregularities on the wall that can deform the thermal panels.
Preparing the wall
The sheathing is made of wood or metal, the second option is more preferable. If wood is used, the beams are treated with an antiseptic.
The length of the vertical and horizontal steps of the sheathing are selected so that they correspond to the dimensions of the panels, and the location of their mounting holes coincides with the centers of the bars (or metal profiles).
The frame must create a flat plane, otherwise there is no point in installing it.
If there is a danger of heat and moisture being retained in the space between the sheathing and the thermal panels, then it is filled with construction foam.
If there is no desire or opportunity to install lathing, then you can level the wall using cement mortar. In practice, this method turns out to be more expensive.
If the building has a plinth, special plinth panels are pre-installed on it, which are characterized by increased thickness and strength.
Panel installation
If the installation is carried out directly on the wall, then the fastening is carried out using the dowel nails supplied with the panels. The locations for drilling holes in the tiles are marked by most manufacturers.
Installation should begin from the corners of the bottom of the wall.. If the kit includes corner panels, they are installed first.
Installation of the main cladding panels on the sheathing is carried out using self-tapping screws. Their thickness should exceed the thickness of the product by 4-5 cm.
Before installing the first and subsequent rows, the space between the wall and the tile can be filled with polyurethane foam in order to give the structure additional frost resistance.
If necessary, silicone sealants are used to seal the joints between products.
Vertical seams should move when installing subsequent rows after the first. For this, additional or trimmed panels are used. A grinder is used to cut blocks.
Grouting work can only be carried out in the warm season in dry weather.
Useful video
Video tutorial on installing insulated panels:
Conclusion
Facade panels with insulation are products consisting of a classic facing coating and a thermal insulation layer of polyurethane foam, polystyrene foam or mineral wool.
They are distinguished by high performance properties and ease of installation. The disadvantages of such products include the high price and the possibility of damage to materials during long-term storage.
In contact with
September 5, 2016Specialization: professional approach to architecture, design and construction of private houses and cottages, new products on the market of building materials and finishing. Hobbies: growing fruit trees and roses. Breeding rabbits for meat and decorative breeds.
While thinking about how to clad a house made of shell rock, covered with ordinary rough cement plaster, I decided to choose panels with insulation. Facade facing panels with insulation are a convenient and interesting option, but finishing with this material has many nuances and subtleties.
I will share my experience using the example of panels made of a cement mixture with additives of a beautiful texture, insulated with a layer of foam plastic. But first, the options that can be found in a large hardware store.
Types of panels - advantages and disadvantages
The very principle of the thermal panel design is several layers of finishing. A layer of insulation, an adhesive base and a decorative coating with additional protective functions. Today there are four sandwich options that are quite affordable.
- Clinker tiles as a decorative layer look stylish and allow you to create any facade design. In this finish, the supporting layer is made of OSB, which gives the material additional rigidity.
For the base, it is better to choose a material that is additionally reinforced with pressed metal or plastic bushings. It's more reliable. In addition, such cladding can be installed with your own hands.
- A layer of decorative plaster on polystyrene foam - there are many options. As decoration, you can choose the addition of marble chips or quartz. The advantage of such panels is the ability to create an ideal seamless finishing surface.
The photo shows the rules for installing metal panels
- The metal coating is reliable and durable. The insulation is protected on both sides by aluminum or profiled sheets. You can choose any one - wood or stone, but it will cost more.
The disadvantage of metal is its heavy finish; the instructions do not recommend installation on old walls without additional strengthening and reinforcement.
A concrete coating with additional strengthening additives and an interesting “torn” texture. Insulation – a layer of polystyrene foam. The most budget option.
You can buy it at mini-factories for half the price than in the store. This is exactly the finish I chose for myself. You can paint it like sandstone, marble or wild stone.
Panels for insulating the facade of a house made of pressed concrete with the addition of strengthening and water-repellent additives can be mounted on any walls with rough plaster. Ideally smooth out all the imperfections and imperfections.
Rules for cladding with any sandwich panels
Since I am familiar with many problems firsthand, I will share the main nuances that are important to pay attention to.
Rule #1
It is important to calculate the loads on the foundation and walls, especially in old buildings with shallow strip foundations. Some insulated panels for facades have considerable weight (concrete coating or metal). For clinker tiles, you will need to install sheathing.
The architects advised under no circumstances to choose wood for the sheathing. Even treated with a deep penetration primer, it quickly begins to rot, and wood-boring beetles love it very much. Only metal lathing, like for drywall.
It is also important to consider the strength of the walls. If the building is old, then it is necessary to carry out additional strengthening reinforcement with a metal mesh and apply a layer of starting leveling plaster with strengthening additives.
If you don’t want to pay architects’ calculations for the load-bearing capacity of the walls, then it’s better to opt for a lightweight option for exterior finishing - a metal frame or light clinker tiles.
Rule #2
Be sure to look for a professional construction team because it will be difficult to correct poor work. This is exactly what happened to me. I hired craftsmen, they assured me that they worked with this material, but what I got was not walls - but a chessboard without worn-out seams. I had to spend money on additional painting with decorative additives.
Let the craftsmen show their work, don’t be lazy, go and look at the site, talk to the owners. Nowadays there are a lot of “craftsmen” who can “do everything”, but in the end they simply spoil good material.
Rule #3
When choosing thermal panels for insulating the facade of a house, immediately think about the design concept for the entire facade. Now, for five thousand rubles, you can order sketches from a design office with different finishing options in texture and color.
Then redoing and purchasing additional materials will not only be more troublesome, but also significantly more expensive. Of the most interesting options, I can recommend inexpensive and beautiful combinations:
- Base made of metal and decorative plaster;
- The plinth is made of textured pressed cement and wood-look siding - the plinth can then be designed to look like timber or wild stone. Lots of decor options.
- Clinker tiles are very “delicate”; they are good to use as decorative inserts for panels covered with “torn” plaster.
For the basement of an old house, a brick-like metal thermal panel is ideal, and above it can be insulated with light plastered slabs.
Rule #4
Decide immediately what layer of insulation is needed. The thicker the layer, the more expensive the finish. But in some cases it is worth paying more. This applies to the basement and those walls of the house where there is the most traffic.
Here the finish must be durable and resistant to ground moisture. Metal panels, protected on both sides, are the most reliable for the base and corners.
If there are strong temperature changes or harsh winters in the region, then you should choose not ordinary polystyrene foam, but self-leveling foam. This material retains heat better and is not afraid of moisture.
Rule #5
When decorating a facade with sandwich panels, you cannot skimp on protective and disinfectant impregnations, because then you will have to replace the entire cladding.
- Before installing the sheathing, be sure to treat the walls with an antiseptic and deep-penetrating strengthening primer. The northern walls are even done in two steps, every day.
- If the lathing is made of wood, then we treat the wood with a protective primer, and in addition you can paint it.
- It is important not to forget about the organization of ventilation gaps - this applies to all materials that are attached to the sheathing, no matter whether metal or wood.
- If the site is close to groundwater, then additional waterproofing of the base is necessary. A resin or roofing material coating is suitable.
Thermal panels for insulating the facade of a house save up to 40 percent of heating costs, plus they guarantee dry walls and a comfortable indoor microclimate.
Summary
The video presented in this article describes in detail the installation of thermal panels on a metal sheathing.
I will be glad to discuss this interesting topic in the comments, and in the near future I promise a detailed article with photographs of the “masterpiece” of my craftsmen. Maybe someone will recommend an interesting painting option.
If the decision to insulate the walls has nevertheless matured, experts always advise paying attention to new products when choosing a material. For example, a heating panel. This is nothing more than an improved insulation process.
After all, remember how it was before: first, insulation was attached to the wall using nails or glue, and on top of it it was necessary to “put on” the cladding just as long, carefully and costly.
Now everything is much simpler, faster and cheaper: thermal panels come to the aid of the individual developer and repairman.
Insulating a wooden house from the outside with thermal panels will allow you to create efficient energy-saving and visually impressive façade.
Thermal panels are designed to greatly (many say by half) reduce the complexity of the process.
Insulation panels- This is a ready-made two-layer “pie” that combines insulation and finishing, with the help of which it is easy to create a monolithic wall that can withstand a long service life.
Thermal panels were known as a facing material in Germany 80 years ago. Expanded polystyrene and polyurethane foam are traditionally used as insulation layers.
Expanded polystyrene and polyurethane foam: brothers, but not twins
What do these two materials have in common?, very convenient for insulation and finishing work?
- Both are lightweight, compact, and easy to construct.
- Both have a long service life.
- Both are classified as cheap building materials.
But they also have distinctive features.
Polyurethane foam. This is a hard foam rubber of a structure known as closed cell. The material is obtained from organic substances, often even from rapeseed and sunflower oils. Very dense (70 kg/m2), therefore it has one of the highest percentages of noise and heat insulation. It fits almost perfectly on the surface and has a high adhesive coefficient (sticks tightly to the wall).
Expanded polystyrene. The raw material for the material is gas-filled styrene, extracted from oil or coal. Visually, this building material looks like a plate of sintered granules. The tighter the granules hold onto each other, the better the quality of the polystyrene foam: the stronger it is and the lower its moisture absorption, vapor and heat permeability.
Installation of thermal panels on wooden walls
Wooden walls can be of two types: level, that is, built using flat planks, and uneven, built from large round logs.
Insulation of a wooden house from the outside with thermal panels should be carried out be sure to take into account the degree of unevenness of the walls.
- The panels can be mounted closely on a flat, vertical base. Fasteners for this type of work are expansion dowels inserted into pre-prepared holes.
- Before starting the work process, it is necessary to carry out a number of simple preparatory work: check the flatness and plumbness of the wall, measure the walls diagonally and install beacons.
- If the wall is uneven, you need to prepare the sheathing: attach wooden blocks or 40x40 slats vertically to the base. Calculate so that one panel is attached to three slats. The panels are attached to the sheathing using screws and dowels.
- The joints between the panels must be sealed by applying silicone sealant to the joint area.
These videos will help you when installing thermal panels.
How to insulate with penoplex
Penoplex- a type of foam with a difference in the structure and size of the granules. Penoplex is several orders of magnitude stronger than polystyrene foam, which means it is preferable as insulation for a wooden house.
If you attach a sheet of foam plastic to a wooden, uneven wall, and then press with force in the area of the void between the logs, the plate will definitely break. Penoplex will pass the strength test and will not give a single crack.
But still... Before insulating a wooden facade, check whether you have caulked and compacted the working surface well enough, whether there are too large voids, and only after making sure of their absence, start working.
- Prepare the frame. Nail the beams onto the wooden wall strictly at two levels: both horizontal and vertical planks should be kept level. First attach the vertical elements to the wall, then the horizontal ones.
- Place the insulation in the niches formed between the beams. Be careful not to leave any wide gaps. If the foam sheet does not hold well, secure it additionally.
- The next steps are covering the penoplex layer with a diffusion membrane and reinforcing it with mesh.
- Facing works.
Comparative analysis
It is not necessary to be a great analyst to discover the difference between these two types of thermal insulation: a very labor-intensive and time-consuming process of creating warm walls with your own hands and easy, relaxed work with thermal insulation panels.
Insulation of a wooden house from the outside with thermal panels won't cause you much trouble and does not require special skills. It won’t tire you out and won’t cost you a pretty penny.
And although making thermal panels yourself (plastering over foam plastic) will cost even less, you will spend much more time on this process.
Current issues
- Can wooden walls withstand insulation with thermal panels?
- They can. The increase in load on the building when using thermal panels is 20-25%. Calculate what it would be like if you used not a lightweight material that imitates brickwork, but real brick.
- What is the best way to fill the voids between the façade and thermal panels?
- Mineral wool is undesirable, since it can become saturated with moisture and contribute to the appearance and proliferation of fungus. Wood shavings are better, or choose panels with a thicker layer of polyurethane foam if you are concerned about maximum thermal insulation. Small voids, if any remain, are not very dangerous in the design of a thermally insulated facade.
- How possible is a conflict of materials between a wooden facade and thermal panels?
- If the log house is fresh, then a conflict is quite possible. Therefore, it is not recommended to install thermal panels on new wooden houses. The house must stand for at least one season.