Step by step instructions- walls, floor and ceiling- Overview + Video

Such a wonderful insulation as ecowool is not yet actively used by consumers. Meanwhile, this material is remarkable both for its functional characteristics and benefits from use. Some ten years ago, most of our fellow citizens had no idea about such a thermal insulation product. What is this material, why is it so good, and how to use it?

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Ecowool insulation: material characteristics

In another way, the material is also called thermofloc and uniol. Cellulose in its composition occupies a predominant share - 81%.

This material has excellent heat insulating characteristics, its use allows you to create a seamless monolithic layer. But in its pure form, it cannot be used in construction work, since it is very flammable, easily flammable, and is afraid of the effects of various biological factors.

The addition of beneficial fillers helps to correct these characteristics. This is 7% borax and 12% boric acid. What do these components give?

Uboric acid different function. It provides the material with a loss of attractiveness for various micro- and macroorganisms: rodents, fungi and mold. Its use guarantees ecowool protection from rodents the best, so is that of mineral wool or expanded polystyrene (I must say that they even like the latter).

Also, a certain amount of lignin is included in the composition of the material, due to which the smallest particles of ecowool are tightly bound to the surface of the insulated structure when moistened.

In what form is ecowool produced for insulation? It is a loose, unshaped mass consisting of cellulose fibers. It is compressed to a density of 110 kg / cu. meter and briquetted, facilitating loading, transportation and storage. For use, the material must be unpacked and fluffed to such an extent that its volume is approximately fourfold.

Main performance characteristics:

• Flammability class - G2, moderate;
• Thermal conductivity coefficient - 0.037 - 0.042;
• Vapor permeability index - 0.3 mg / g;
• Assembly density - 26-95;
• Density - 40 g / meter cubed;
• Smoke formation - moderate D2;
• Flame spread over the surface - 0.

Insulation of the frame structure with ecowool: Advantages and disadvantages of the material

Let's consider the advantages in more detail material, ensuring its excellent working qualities when insulating various buildings.

• Ecowool can hold up to twenty percent moisture in the surface layer, and at the same time it does not lose its insulating properties, unlike, for example, mineral wool;
• The structure of this material allows it to dry quickly after being exposed to water, without losing its working qualities. The use of e kovaty for home insulation helps to maintain a normal microclimate in the house, keeping the humidity level at a comfortable level for a person;
• The material has a low air permeability index, but it is very elastic, it perfectly absorbs sound waves. In combination, these qualities provide ecowool with excellent sound and noise insulation properties;
• Ecowool is a homogeneous, rather loose mass. After laying it in prepared frame cells or inside the ceilings, it forms a monolithic seamless fabric that fills the intended volume completely, without voids and cold bridges that worsen the functional qualities;
• The composition of the material does not include toxic and harmful substances: it can be installed and operated without fear. The natural lignin contained in it is absolutely safe, while borax with boric acid does not evaporate and is not volatile, therefore it cannot cause harm to health.

• Despite the peculiarities of composition and production, the material is only capable of smoldering, not igniting or igniting. It is not afraid of mold and rot, does not emit an unpleasant odor, is chemically inert, does not cause corrosion in contacting metals;
• The use of traditional materials as thermal insulation usually leads to the formation of a significant proportion of waste. The use of ecowool, on the contrary, ensures the reuse of unnecessary materials.

Like any material, except for its advantages, ecowool has some disadvantages:

• To use the material, it will not be enough just to purchase it. The use requires special equipment, and this cannot but affect the final cost of the work;
• The structural properties of the material, namely its flowability, can cause some inconveniences during its use: for this reason, vertical filling is preferred;
• Anyone who intends to use a dry installation method will encounter a significant amount of dust when working;
• If the material is poorly fastened, it can settle, therefore the work process must be carefully controlled;
• Not worth it use ecowool to insulate floors above the basement, where there is a consistently high level of humidity.

Hand lay

This material can be used for insulation different ways.One of them, an industrial one, consists in spraying pre-moistened ecowool onto the surface requiring processing using specialized equipment, as well as injecting dry material into the insulated frame with a powerful compressor.

In addition, it is possible to mount the material manually, but this will increase its consumption. Such a process will take an order of magnitude more time.

The manual method of mounting the material is associated with laboriousness, increased time costs, the impossibility of absolute filling of all existing cavities, voids and cracks.

But many people prefer this particular option, since it turns out to be much cheaper.

If you intend to insulate a change house, an outbuilding or a garage, follow the given procedure:

1. Since the material is in a compressed state, it is necessary to fluff it well ... You can do this with a drill and a paint nozzle.

   The fluffed material can be used.

2. The briquette with insulation is opened, the mass is poured into any suitable container.
3. This method of application of the material can only be used for filling it in ceilings (when laying from above), or for dry laying in a wall space.
4. When filling in ceilings, the mass should be evenly distributed between the joists and the rafters. All the required places are filled with it, until a surface with a slide is formed.

   With the subsequent use of the floorboard, the material will be compacted to the required volume.

5. When carrying out dry filling of the mass into vertically located structures, it should be carefully tamped: the density of the material should be only two times less than the initial one inherent in the factory briquette.

Thermal insulation of an ecowool wooden house: mechanized method

Such the method for insulation with ecowool is the most appropriate for work. Compared with the manual method, it has undeniable advantages.

This is :

• high efficiency;
• installation speed;
• minimization of possible errors caused by the human factor .

  ..

With specialized blow molding equipment, this thermal insulation material can be used in three different ways: wet, wet glue and dry.

Let's dwell in more detail on each of the above.

Thermal insulation of a frame house: dry application

Dry spraying of the material is usually used to insulate horizontal as well as inclined surfaces in order to fill the closed cavities in the walls, for processing of non-collapsible structures and interfloor floors.

The essence of this method is as follows:

• Required make a hole in the closed cavity. It can be limited to a non-rigid structure, but also membrane waterproofing, sheathing material or special kraft paper.The hole is best done at the very top of the structure.
• A sleeve is inserted into the gap, through which a mixture of air and heat insulator will flow there, under the required pressure.
• When passing through the existing slots, the air pulls along the particles of ecowool, which have a fleecy structure, due to which they cling to all kinds of irregularities, as well as to each other.

• It turns out a kind of plug made of compacted material, which firmly fills all the gaps.
• The cavity is completely filled with a mass of insulation with the required density, then the hole is closed in any possible way.
• In the same way, you can spray dry material on horizontal surfaces, while the latter do not need to be completely insulated;
• The required density of ecowool for horizontal filling is 45 kg / cu. meter, with vertical this figure is 65 kg / cubic meter. meter.

Wall insulation: wet method

This type of spraying is used for insulating vertical open structures and walls of frame (and other) buildings. The moistened mass of ecowool instantly adheres to the surface of walls of any composition, thus forming a monolithic seamless layer, the density of which ranges from 50 to 65 kg / cu. meter. The excellent "stickiness" of the material is provided by the natural component of lignin, which is famous for its special stickiness.

The thickness of the walls with the material allows you to prepare with your own hands a house with a unique technology and a reasonable cake of the walls of a frame house, which will provide heat: the floor, attic, attic, roof and roof of a private house.

This "wet" method is excellent for the insulation finishing of block and brick buildings, which is carried out in accordance with the instructions developed for this:

• The battens must first be made walls using a steel profile or wooden beam.
• Moistened ecowool is sprayed onto the wall open space, between the individual frame structures, using specialized equipment.
• At the exit from the nozzle of this equipment, pre-fluffed cotton wool is slightly moistened with water, and under pressure is supplied to the surface to be treated.
• The drying material becomes quite elastic and very plastic. It reliably adheres to all surfaces and structures, including wiring and other communications, forming a monolithic seamless layer that is not afraid of deformation.

• Excess material is cut off. After drying, it can be reused. It turns out that the installation of ecowool is carried out without the generation of waste, since all unnecessary surpluses go back to work.

Ceiling insulation: wet-glue method

It is not too different from the previous one.The main difference is that special adhesive components are added to the water moisturizing material, which significantly increases its adhesive properties.

The advantages of this method are the high elasticity of the material, the absence of harmful components in its composition, as well as extremely low deformation after drying.

This method is used for insulating the bottom surfaces of ceilings and various horizontal surfaces, access to which is difficult, for applying material to thin-walled and complex surfaces, hanging structures. With its help, even various vertical surfaces can be processed with ecowool, but this is not very advisable. The technique of such insulation is actually no different from the previously described wet technique.

Required equipment

For the industrial method of ecowool installation, profile equipment is required.

Many different types of blow molding machines are available on the domestic market. However, it is quite acceptable to manufacture the required equipment on your own. Both industrial equipment and hand-made equipment are similar in their constitution and have the same operating principle. What is included in the devices?

• Bunker for loading the raw mass. For this purpose, you can use plastic containers, various barrels, cases from "old" washing machines.

• Agitator. With its help, the pressed material is fluffed before use. To do this, you can take an ordinary construction drill equipped with a paint mixing nozzle.
• Application is essential for vigorous and rapid pumping of material. Household vacuum cleaners can be used in this role.

• Corrugated flexible pipes with a diameter of five to ten centimeters. They are used as output channels when spraying.
• For wet laying - a set of hose, pump and nozzles.

On the independent manufacture of the blowing device will have to spend an average of 18 to 32 thousand rubles. Industrial devices can cost from 180 thousand rubles to 600, depending on their power and performance.

Of course, factory equipment has a much higher power than homemade devices. However, for a single use, it will be quite practical to make the unit with your own hands.

When choosing a material for insulating a house outside and inside, it is recommended to pay close attention to ecowool. Convincing arguments in its favor are an excellent combination of technical and operational qualities, fire safety, environmental friendliness, extreme biological resistance, practical waste-free installation . In addition, all the manipulations on the use of this insulation will cost significantly less than using other materials for thermal insulation.