The use of insulation for the building is a necessary stage in any capital structure. There are many offers on the market, but out of the whole variety, one of the effective and inexpensive options is polystyrene foam, or polystyrene. Some masters believe that this is not the most suitable option, but at a cost it is available to everyone. At the same time, the facade finish with foam has its own technology and working conditions. Following the instructions will make the protective layer reliable and durable.
What to look for?
Before you begin, it is worthwhile to look at the whole process or get a consultation. Pay attention not only to the quality of the purchased foam, but also to its thickness. The probability of the passage of cold masses into the house will depend on it. It is the level of planning and preparation that is important for obtaining a qualitative result. It is not always necessary to attract craftsmen, since the work is simple.
How to choose the right material?
The only drawback in the decoration of the facades with polystyrene is its fire hazard. If a fire of such a structure occurs, then even with preliminary impregnation, toxic fumes are released that are harmful to humans. That is why, when doing such a job, it is worth knowing some rules and useful recommendations:
- The facade finish with foam should end with a sand-cement layer. The creation of such protection allows the heater to not fade and not to collapse early, and also does not give the possibility of fire, since there is no air flow.
- For fixing, you need to purchase special fasteners - sharpened dowels. This will not detach from the surface in any situation.
- Exterior decoration of the facade with polystyrene is a high-quality heat preservation. The material is reliable, but at the same time fragile and light. If it is planned to finish on it with any plaster compositions, then it is worth attaching it to the adhesive masses.
These are simple conditions that allow you to create high-quality protection against heat and more. This method of insulation is often used for two-story buildings, but it is better to acquire a minimum thickness. If we compare, the foam of 10 centimeters with a density of 30 kilograms per cubic meter for heat conservation is equal to a brick wall.
These are good indicators, but in practice they are slightly different. Because bare brick quickly releases heat, but when the decorative facade of the house is made of foam with a thickness of 150 millimeters, the heat output will be minimized. But how to understand how long this entire repair will last? The answer to this question lies in the quality characteristics of the selected material - strength, installation technology, preparation of the facade for cladding.
Calculations and preparation
Before you begin, it is worth presenting and planning the whole process. Because the finishing work is equal to the cost of the foam sheet itself in one square meter. Different manufacturers offer their price, but do not chase the cheap, because quality in the finish matters. It is difficult for an inexperienced person to visually understand that a foam is poor-quality. Therefore, it is better to try and find those manufacturers who have been operating in this area for more than a year. When the density of the sheet with standard sizes is 8-10 kilograms per cubic meter, then the price is within one and a half thousand.
Do not forget that the facade is being trimmed with polystyrene and plaster, so that there will be more finance. So, planning is the right solution for every repair. The procedure itself has several stages. Doing everything yourself, do not miss a single step:
- Wall preparation for basic application.
- Creating a glue solution and fixing the main insulation material on it.
- Additional reinforcement on umbrella dowels.
- Finishing - plaster or any other material.
Glue is also not worth saving. Today there are many options in the construction market, but not everyone is distinguished by quality. When choosing, the same principles are used as with foam.
What else is needed?
In addition to the basic materials, some additional elements are needed:
- Hammer drill.
- Umbrella dowels are larger in size than the foam itself.
- Starting plate with fasteners.
- Painting net.
- Finishing profile.
- The corner.
These are additional costs that are taken into account at the planning level of the construction process. This is how the facade of a private house is polished with foam. You can’t do without preparation.
Facade insulation
Do not forget that the frontal load on the foam is unacceptable. Otherwise, such insulation will begin to crumble or crack. That is why it is important to pay a lot of attention to surface preparation. In order for the walls of the house to be smooth without errors, during installation, the material must fit snugly against the wall in all places.
In addition, you need to remove any old application - paint, plaster or something that can become an obstacle to create a tight fit. When the basic procedures are completed, it is worth treating the entire surface with a primer. Another feature is that foam sheets do not allow air to pass through, so a good setting for rowing can be created under them, additional processing is necessary.
What next?
Then you need to fix the starting strip, about five centimeters from the blind area of the building foundation. When buying a rail, you should rely on the width of the foam plate itself. This design is also leveled.
Main works
It also happens that the walls have bumps (many small). In such a situation, it is necessary to apply combined work. These are two layers of insulation - the first can be any more durable insulation, but of small thickness, and the second - the foam itself. If the first also goes with plates, then the next should be laid in such a way as to close the seams. This allows you to create the maximum barrier to entry into the house of cold masses.
In any case, warming the house with polystyrene and finishing the facade with plaster work starts from the bottom row. On each sheet, glue is applied around the perimeter and a small amount in the center. After it is fixed to the wall of the facade and tapped with your hand so that it becomes completely level. Two days later, when the glue has already dried, pass along the perimeter with additional fasteners - dowels.
Important points
Before that, with the help of a puncher, holes are punched in the right places along the length of the dowel itself with a small margin. After that, the fasteners themselves are driven. All joints are filled with foam. Before you begin to carry out decorative decoration of the facade, it is worth checking the entire perimeter for any holes and irregularities. If any irregularities are detected, then they are cleaned and adjusted. Do not leave it like this, otherwise the next step will cause problems.
Final stage
Finishing the facade of the house with foam and plaster has its own order. As soon as the insulation is completed, it is necessary to fix the profiled corner strips in the corners of the building, and then apply a paint net. It is better to apply the cladding in stages, with strips so that there are no overlaps, seams and uneven surfaces. To avoid everything, it is worth starting from the corner of the house.
When a person has no experience of surface plastering, it will not be so easy for him. Because you have to create a flat surface, apply the construction level. Although when laying foam sheets, it is already necessary to remove any errors. Some masters believe that sometimes it is necessary to apply more than one layer in order to achieve the desired result (but again, the thickness should not be too large).
When the rough coat lasts for two hours, they begin to finish. And here the choice is diverse:
- Coloring with any available colors. Most often, acrylic paints are used for decoration. The color must be chosen carefully, because the brightness and saturation during drying are reduced, this may not be suitable for the selected design.
- Finishing layer of plaster. It can be a bark beetle. This is a modern direction in the decoration of houses. It is easy to apply, with an interesting appearance.
- Wall panels. This is another common option. Wall panels have a large assortment in the sales market. Most often, for facades, imitation is chosen for any material - stone, wood, etc. The choice of colors is no less wide, design solutions are diverse.
The process of warming the facade of the house should be approached with all care. Because this is not done for one day. It is important not to create under the foam conditions for decay and the formation of fungus. Therefore, special protective equipment should not be discarded. They are on sale at any hardware store. The thickness of the foam plates is selected depending on the severity of the winter season.
To summarize
Today on sale in stock a large number of insulation materials. All of them have their own application technology and operational characteristics. But the cost is different, not everyone at this moment has a lot of money. By giving preference to polystyrene, they make a good choice. Because it is, on the whole, no worse than more expensive materials - technoplex or penoplex.
Although cons are present, one of which is minimal vapor permeability. Because of this, it is worth thinking about an additional reconstruction of the supply ventilation. Solving the problem with increased flammability is not so difficult. It is enough to apply the plaster. As a result, the minuses are insignificant and the choice in the direction of such insulation is quite justified.
It is important to get such a thickness of sheets that can cope and create a reliable barrier to the release of heat. If you follow all the recommendations for creating a protective layer, then the result will please and such a heater will serve for a long time.