When building a country house, laying the foundation has always been considered one of the most expensive and labor-intensive stages of construction. But now it is possible to install screw and bored piles for many types of houses that do not require pouring a concrete foundation at all. The piles are tied with a grillage, which becomes a reliable basis for the walls.

Such a simple technology has become so popular that some developers completely forget about the wind-swept space under their house, as if floating in the air. Such ventilation in winter leads to temperature discomfort inside the house and excessive heating costs. The pile foundation must be insulated, and we will tell you how to do this in the best way in this article.

Why are piles popular?

This method turns out to be the most profitable if the house is being built on swampy and weak soils, with a high groundwater level. The load-bearing blades of screw piles rest on soils below the freezing level, and seasonal fluctuations in the surface no longer have a negative impact on the house. Sometimes such a foundation turns out to be the only possible solution when building houses on plots with sloping terrain. The construction of a pile-screw field is completely independent of the time of year and weather, and in terms of construction time such a foundation has no equal. This usually takes 1-2 days, and the construction of walls can begin.

Why insulate a pile foundation?

This question is asked by many private developers, realizing that the piles themselves do not need insulation - they are screwed below the freezing depth and are not threatened by winter heaving of the soil. But if a reinforced concrete grillage is poured on top of the pile field, then in winter it becomes a rather powerful cold accumulator and will endlessly absorb heat from the house standing on it. The problem turns out to be really serious, and the tasks of insulation in this case coincide with the need for a full cycle of thermal insulation work, as on a conventional monolithic foundation.

It’s cold in the house even without a concrete grillage. If the walls are mounted on a wooden or steel grillage frame, then a space remains under the house, blown by the winter wind, which also leads to the cooling of the floor and the lower part of the walls. Of course, it is possible to arrange multi-layer thermal insulation of the basement floor, but the best option remains to cover the underground space with an insulating structure. Imagine that the house is equipped with water supply and sewerage. Then these engineering communications will pass through the ventilated space. So insulating the pile foundation will also improve the protection of your communications from freezing and destruction.

Agree that even from an aesthetic point of view, your house will look much more attractive if its basement, in addition to insulation, is also beautifully decorated. And any debris will no longer be blown into the open space by the wind; rubbish and remnants of building materials that usually fill this space will not be visible.

We need an integrated approach

Builders know that insulating any foundation also means creating a blind area around the house that is thermally insulated from below. A blind area in the form of a narrow concrete strip around the house is designed to remove atmospheric moisture from the foundation. Until recently, its insulation from the bottom side seemed to be a difficult task. But with the advent of extruded polystyrene foam on the construction market, the problem disappeared completely - this material can easily withstand multi-ton loads.

Now you can safely decorate and insulate the perimeter of the pile field, without fear that seasonal soil movement will tear off the outer skin of the base. There will be no more movement, since under the layer of extruded polystyrene foam the ground does not freeze even in severe frosts. This means that in contact with stable soil, we can now install any protective canopy along the entire perimeter of the pile field, blocking access to cold air underground. We will reach the concrete slab of the grillage with insulation, depriving it of the ability to accumulate cold, which is so unnecessary in a permanent home. You have a good choice of technical solutions for thermal insulation of your own country house.

Let's look at a specific example

The optimal option for insulating a house on screw piles with a concrete grillage may be to create three planes of the insulating contour. On the outside of the base we install a layer of insulation of the required thickness. We use extruded polystyrene foam Penoplex - Foundation. This material will withstand static and dynamic loads without fear of atmospheric and ground moisture, and its thermal resistance indicators are simply amazing.

We will tightly connect this contour of the basement insulation with the horizontal insulation planes of the grillage and soil. For the grillage, there are options in choosing insulation materials, but we will insulate the ground with slabs of extruded polystyrene foam, at least 50 mm thick. Now, on a warm base, you can pour an inclined blind area around the entire perimeter of the house. However, you can simply lay out a 600-800 mm wide strip of paving slabs.

We can do without the underground

In some cases, the height of the pile field heads turns out to be so small that there is no point in creating an underground space. In this case, we can immediately combine the creation of a concrete grillage with lower insulation.

We make a compacted sand and gravel cushion, on top of which we lay a layer of extruded polystyrene foam. It will act as the lower surface of the formwork. Now you can pour the concrete grillage, not forgetting that it must also be thoroughly insulated along the entire perimeter. Thus, your foundation slab has received reliable insulation, and walls can be built on its basis.

Brick plinth possible

The construction of a brick basement wall on a shallow strip foundation immediately raises objections among many developers. Indeed, there is a certain danger in this option. If a pile foundation reliably ensures the immobility of a building, then a shallow strip foundation for brick cladding does not have such stability, and seasonal swelling of the soil will inevitably lead to its deformation. The solution is to connect the base for the brickwork with fixed piles. To do this, we weld a channel to them along the entire perimeter, aligning it exactly along the horizontal line.

We select the channel number taking into account the size of the brick. After anti-corrosion treatment and waterproofing lining, it will become a reliable basis for brickwork. But such a frame, connected to fixed piles, can also become the basis for any decorative canopy made of flat slate, chipboard, siding and other finishing materials, which you choose to your liking. Then your home will look solid and attractive.

30.07.2008, 11:45

The essence of the question is this:
we have: - TISE pillars;
- grillage along these same pillars.
The insulation of the foundation is beyond doubt. :wink:
Doubts plague the insulation itself.
I am burying the DSP along the grillage (vertically) - this is understandable. :lol:
Next, I must (according to the rules) install insulation - the question is: which one?

2. Or something else? What?

3. doubts?
4. will it get wet?



Thank you! :D
Does anyone have a photo of what THIS looks like in real life!!! :lol:

30.07.2008, 12:37

30.07.2008, 22:24

Isn’t it necessary to insulate to reduce heat loss through the floor and basement?

Andrey teacher

31.07.2008, 00:26

Next, I must (according to the rules) install insulation - the question is: which one?
I have "Izorok" (50 mm slabs).
1. Can I use it?
2. Or something else? What?
The question is: how will the insulation behave in the ground?
3. doubts?
4. will it get wet?
5. Do you need any kind of foundation for it or will it just be the bottom of an open trench?
6. Does it need to be moisture-proofed somehow? For example, p/e film
7. Install the DSP only to cover the space between the grillage and the ground or pull it to the base, i.e. to the full height of the grillage?
Isorok - basalt wool, the same ROCKWOOL, only side view. It can be used if it is waterproofed, but water always finds a hole.
Foundations are insulated exclusively with extruded polystyrene foam "foam???" In short, it is rigid foam, usually pink or blue. The issue price is 3-4 thousand per cubic meter.
Better think about insulating the floor.
By the way, this foam can be used as a gap between the foundation and the wall, but here it is worth calculating the pressure of the wall and the load-bearing capacity of the foam.

Tractor driver

31.07.2008, 07:48

In my opinion, there is no need to insulate the TISE foundation, it is designed for frost heaving, it should not damage it. Shallow foundations are usually insulated.

According to TISE, my foundation was not insulated with anything, and it is not necessary if everything was done according to the rules.

31.07.2008, 09:21

Isn’t it necessary to insulate to reduce heat loss through the floor and basement?

To reduce heat loss through the floor, you need to insulate the floor :).
I consider the heat loss through the base to be small (if you imagine the length of the path that heat needs to travel to reach the building and assume that the base is covered with snow.)

In my opinion, there is no need to insulate the TISE foundation, it is designed for frost heaving, it should not damage it. Shallow foundations are usually insulated.

According to TISE, my foundation was not insulated with anything, and it is not necessary if everything was done according to the rules.
Yakovlev in his book recommends insulating the foundation to reduce the freezing depth..... (ours is 1.9m-2m)
I drilled 1.8 m in mine, so I’m going to insulate it....just what’s better?

Yakovlev also writes that you can underdrill by 30-40 cm. This is due to the fact that the soil under the piles is heavily compacted by the weight of the house and is slightly heaving (and a 30cm layer cannot swell strongly enough to lift the house). In addition, the soil can freeze to such a depth only in the case of the most unfavorable combination of circumstances (severe frosts with a complete absence of snow).
I have a freezing depth of 2.1 m, piles at 1.8, I’m not going to insulate anything.

31.07.2008, 09:57

In general, underground structures are insulated with polystyrene foam (polystyrene), foamed polyethylene; the cotton wool in the ground gets wet and stops insulating.

In my opinion, there is no need to insulate the TISE foundation, it is designed for frost heaving, it should not damage it. Shallow foundations are usually insulated.

Good luck to all!!! :D

Andrey teacher

31.07.2008, 10:54

And then, I thought about insulating not the foundation, but the grillage and the SPACE between it (the grillage) and the ground!
Good luck to all!!! :D I did this: I removed the top layer of earth, cast the pillars, backfill under the beam, filled the beam, removed the backfill for 10 - 15 cm of the gap, laid down plastic film and roofing felt to prevent silting of the gap, placed ADC = flat slate along the beam, filled in the soil around the beam. Outwardly it looks like a base from the ground, there is a gap left at the bottom. Everything overwintered normally during the last wet winter and spring.
Now I’m finishing it, then I’m going to bury a waterproofing barrier around the perimeter of the house with an overlap on this beam and fill it with gravel as a blind area.
But I consider it unacceptable to place cotton wool, especially low-density wool, or “balloon” foam under a beam. The water accumulated in the insulation over the fall and summer will freeze and push the beam upward. And polystyrene foam is a real haven for mice.

31.07.2008, 19:02

In general, underground structures are insulated with polystyrene foam (polystyrene), foamed polyethylene; the cotton wool in the ground gets wet and stops insulating.

In my opinion, there is no need to insulate the TISE foundation, it is designed for frost heaving, it should not damage it. Shallow foundations are usually insulated.

One thing confuses me - MICE: shock: ! I tried to insulate the attic with polystyrene foam - so by spring the entire floor was covered in fine crumbs. Rodents, however! :D But it’s easier with the attic - it’s upstairs. But you can’t dig out the base every season! :shock:
And then, I thought about insulating not the foundation, but the grillage and the SPACE between it (the grillage) and the ground!
Good luck to all!!! :D
Why insulate the roof? Are you planning a warm underground?

01.08.2008, 08:25

No, the underground is not planned to be warm. The sewer pipe, before reaching the planned depth outside the house, will pass in this very underground from +400 mm (above ground level) to -700 mm (when exiting from under the house).
Speculatively, I understand that heating the house will also warm up the underground, but natural reinsurance picks with a “rusty nail”: “Insulate! Insulate! Insulate!” :roll:
Fight, you know! But it's worth it! (for the second week already).
Thank you!
Good luck to all!!! :D

01.08.2008, 14:12

I heard about insulation with sand 1 m from the foundation and 0.5 m deep reduces the depth of freezing of the ground under the house by almost 2 times, I think it’s also written about this in the book Tise. I don’t know how much sand costs you, but here it is relatively cheap. The main job is digging. To what extent is such insulation applicable to the foundation of a tise? but you can probably try. Take out the soil, pour sand, put an asbestos cement sheet on the side of the grillage and fill the blind area. Although, with such an organization for the cold, a thin place turns out to be a plate assembly, a blind area, I don’t know yet how to insulate it. Instead of sand, you can pour a smaller layer of expanded clay, then it will be a little more expensive.

Even in relatively warm climates, an insufficiently insulated floor can significantly cool a room. In cold climates, where the soil freezes in winter, good thermal insulation is absolutely indispensable.

In addition, when the soil thaws in the summer, even on a well-waterproofed foundation, condensation will certainly occur, i.e. the room will be damp. And this is a favorable environment for the development of mold and the proliferation of various kinds of insects and the danger of gradual destruction for wooden structures susceptible to rotting, and the occurrence of rust on metal structures.

Depending on the design featuresThere are the following main types of insulation:

1. From the inside.
2. Outside.
3. Complete.

The piles themselves at the pile foundation do not need thermal insulation. We are talking only about protection from the cold and the floor of the room.

If the floor is located relatively low from the ground, then the best option would be to build a base frame around the perimeter of the entire building, waterproof and insulate it, and then cover it with materials that are pleasant to the eye - natural stone, siding, ceramic tiles, etc.

If it’s a house, it looks like a “hut on chicken legs,” i.e. The distance from the ground to the floor is very large, so installing and sheathing the frame is expensive and ineffective. In this case, it is better to insulate the grillage from the outside.

The ideal option, especially in cold regions, would be to completely insulate the pile foundation both around the perimeter of the house and from inside the premises under the finished floor covering.

Materials

The choice of materials for insulation is very extensive, which allows you to make the optimal choice that corresponds to your financial capabilities and is most suitable for this particular building.

Materials vary in naturalness/unnaturalness, prices, insulation efficiency, weight, occupied volume, durability, environmental friendliness, and ease of installation.

Among the most popular artificial materials :

• Styrofoam;
• polystyrene foam;
• mineral wool;
• penofol;
• polyurethane foam;

Foam plastic (pressless polystyrene foam)

Pros:

1. High rates of thermal and waterproofing.
2. Very light weight (up to 90% of the foam board is air).
3. Durability.
4. Easy to install.
5. Insensitive to temperature changes.
6. Very low price.

Minuses:

1. Flammability, and the combustion process is accompanied by the release of toxic substances.
2. Ease of mechanical damage.
3. Instability to ultraviolet radiation, aggressive chemical elements and most paints and varnishes.
4. Low air permeability, i.e. the insulated structure will not breathe at all. However, for the foundation this is a small drawback.

Extruded polystyrene foam (technoplex or penoplex)

The material is similar in chemical composition to polystyrene foam, but combines its advantages with the absence of most of the disadvantages.

Advantages:

1. Non-flammability.
2. Resistance to chemical influences.
3. Strength.

Flaws:

1. High price.

Mineral wool

Pros:

1. Non-flammability.
2. Resistant to temperature changes.
3. Resistant to chemicals.
4. High rates of heat and sound insulation.
5. Convenience of the material when going around corners and irregularities.

Minuses:

1. Sagging.
2. Decrease in thermal insulation effectiveness over time.
3. Absorption of moisture (accordingly, susceptibility to rotting, and at very low temperatures – to freezing).
4. Inconvenient installation (applies to glass wool, in which pieces of glass easily fly everywhere).
5. Carcinogenicity of formaldehyde resins, which hold together small particles in the material.

Of course, insulating the foundation with mineral wool is possible, but it requires care during installation, proper waterproofing, and protecting this material from contact with the room.

It is a combined film roll material that has appeared on the market relatively recently.

Pros:

1. Good thermal insulation performance.
2. Moisture resistance.
3. Ease of installation (the material has an adhesive base).

Flaws:

1. High price.
2. Poor breathability.

Polyurethane foam

It is a foam-like synthetic material, produced in the form of ready-to-install slabs or in cylinders for spray application.

Pros:

1. Ease of installation.
2. Strength.
3. High thermal insulation performance.

The sprayed option has a number of other advantages:

1. Possibility to vary the thickness of the insulation.
2. High adhesion (adhesion), which allows you to apply insulation to almost any other materials.
3. There are no seams, which further increases the thermal insulation of the room.

Minuses:

1. Flammability.

Natural insulation materials

Typically, natural materials are used for wooden buildings, houses and cottages, but nothing prevents them from being used in insulating pile foundations made of concrete and metal.

Main types:

• sawdust;
• tow;
• plywood;
• chipboard/fibreboard sheets;

Pros:

1. Environmentally friendly.
2. No harmful emissions during operation.
3. Breathability.

Minuses:

1. Flammability.
2. Less durability compared to synthetic materials.
3. Susceptibility to dampness, rotting.
4. Favorable environment for insects and rodents.

However, most of the disadvantages can be eliminated thanks to good waterproofing, impregnations that increase moisture resistance and make the materials inedible and harmful to animals, or use inside heated rooms.

How to insulate?

If you choose the option of constructing a base, then it is necessary to mount a frame to which the insulation will be attached. These can be metal/wooden guides, or whole sheets of plywood/boards.

If the grillage is insulated, the materials are attached directly to it.

All materials are installed from bottom to top. If these are light panels, then you can limit yourself to good glue, but screws would be an even more reliable solution.

Instructions:

1. Slab insulation is installed end-to-end with minimal gaps between them, the gaps are sealed with polyurethane foam.
2. Roll materials are glued with an overlap of at least 10 cm.
3. Materials with a loose structure (mineral wool, sawdust) are tightly packed into a pre-prepared frame for them.
4. Aerosol insulation materials are sprayed onto a clean surface. The required layer depends on the material used and the climate of the construction region. It can be easily calculated using regulatory documents or recommendations for use on the insulation itself.

On the outside of the building, after waterproofing is completed, a powder of expanded clay or soil is applied.

For ventilation, two small holes are left on two opposite sides of the base. To prevent animals from getting in, they are covered with a fine mesh.

Protection of insulation from moisture

Foundation waterproofing.

Even in the dry climate of the construction region, there will definitely be some water in the soil. Adding to this the condensation that occurs during any significant temperature changes, we get a constant effect of water on the structure.

And with long-term exposure it can destroy even the most resistant materials, both insulation and the foundation itself.

Waterproofing is carried out using rolled, sprayed, sheet and coating materials.

Their combination will be even more effective:

1. Rolled materials are laid with an overlap of 10-15 cm, the joints are melted with a torch or coated.
2. Coating and spraying types are applied to a previously thoroughly cleaned surface in a layer of the required thickness.
3. Sheet waterproofing materials are firmly attached joint to joint. The seams are sealed with some kind of spray or coating agent.

Perhaps the main mistake– remember the need for insulation after construction. In this case, it will turn out to be much less effective, most likely more expensive and labor-intensive. There is also a chance of damage to the foundation structure, which can lead to problems in the operation of the house or even its destruction.

Despite the fact that many insulation materials themselves are quite resistant to water, are not destroyed by it, and sometimes do not leak at all, this does not mean that traditional waterproofing should be neglected. Protecting the foundation from moisture is the key to its long and safe operation.

Universal foundation TISE technology Yakovlev R.N.

7.5. INSULATION OF THE GRAPHIA

7.5. INSULATION OF THE GRAPHIA

The energy saving problems that developers face are related not only to the insulation of walls and ceilings. Insulation of the foundation strip or basement walls should be considered equally responsibly. A “cold” grillage cools down the walls and ceiling of the first floor, creating uncomfortable living conditions and leading to heat losses. Residents are especially concerned if the floor of the first floor is cold. The floor surface is the only element of the enclosing structure of the house with which a person is constantly in contact, stepping on it with a booted or bare foot. To create comfortable conditions, the difference in floor surface should be less than the air temperature in the room by no more than 2 °C. Structurally, the insulation of the grillage is linked to the design and insulation scheme of the walls and ceilings. The desire to protect the underground from rodents can also affect the insulation and finishing of the basement of the building.

Insulation of the grillage of a columnar-strip foundation can be carried out by developers according to various schemes (Fig. 167). It should only be taken into account that the greatest insulation effect can be created by installing an insulating layer along the side walls of the grillage. From the outside, the grillage can be insulated with polystyrene foam, penoizol, polyurethane foam, polyethylene foam and other insulation materials, protected from the outside by plinth finishing panels (decorative plastic panels, siding, DSP panels, asbestos cement sheets...).

The grillage can be insulated from the inside with the same insulation materials. This can be done according to the traditional scheme for insulating the subfloors of log houses, in the form of backfilling with soil. But in such a case, the gap under the tape should be closed with any sheet material (Fig. 167, a).

If the beams of the first floor are wooden, then protection from rodents can be carried out both from the outside of the grillage (protecting the gap under the grillage with a blind area) and from the underground side (protecting the insulation with a tin casing (Fig. 167, c).

If the floor of the first floor is a concrete slab cast on a sand bedding, then thermal insulation can be made in the form of rigid polystyrene foam slabs or rolled foam insulating material (polyethylene foam, polyurethane foam...) (Fig. 167, d).

Rice. 167. Insulation of grillage: A - with wooden ceiling; B - with concrete floor; B - walls and grillage with external insulation; G - with a concrete floor on a sand backfill; 1 - grillage; 2 - wall; 3 - insulation; 4 - blind area; 5 - wooden ceiling; 6 - floor; 7 - logs; 8 - foundation support; 9 - plate-wall; 10 - backfilling of soil; 11 - sand backfill; 12 - polyethylene foam; 13 - concrete floor; 14 - tin box; 15 - reinforced concrete floor slab; 16 - exterior trim panel

Developer, don't forget!

Before starting the construction of walls, you should arrange a place for supplying utilities to the house. This can be done before the construction of the foundation begins or after, before installing the lower floor. Developers who put off this work until later are faced with certain difficulties. It can be extremely difficult to install a ring or dig trenches for supplying water and draining sewage under the lower floor of a house.

From the book Loggias and Balconies author Korshever Natalya Gavrilovna

Chapter 2. Insulation of loggias and balconies The first operation is to protect the balcony or loggia from precipitation and insulate it: for this it is necessary not only to install and glaze the frames, but also to seal the fencing bars. If the fence on the balcony or loggia is made of brick or

From the book Modern work on the construction of roofs and roofing author Nazarova Valentina Ivanovna

From the book Universal Foundation TISE Technology author Yakovlev R.N.

From the book Modern balconies and loggias. Original ideas, the latest materials and work technologies author Dobrova Elena Vladimirovna

From the book Bedroom author Lyakhova Kristina Alexandrovna

From the book Home Master author Onishchenko Vladimir

CHAPTER 7. Grillage arrangement 7.1. DESIGN FEATURES Connecting supports with a strip-grillage is the final stage of creating a columnar-strip foundation. This work can begin immediately after the supports are created. Selection of grillage cross-section, its reinforcement and

From the book Attic author

Creating a grillage

From the book Country plot from scratch author Shukhman Yuri Ilyich

Insulating a balcony or loggia After glazing and sealing the installed frame, the balcony or loggia can be insulated to provide additional thermal insulation. In Fig. 14 shows an option for insulating a brick balcony fence. Rice. 14. Insulation

From the book Dacha Encyclopedia of Experienced Advice author Kashkarov Andrey Petrovich

Chapter 3. Insulating the bedroom Insulating the room is very important. Do not neglect this, otherwise in winter you will have to experience discomfort every day. Electric heaters alone are often not enough to keep the room warm. First

From the book The Newest Encyclopedia of Proper Repair author Nesterova Daria Vladimirovna

Insulation of external walls It often happens that in a house or apartment on cold days, despite the normal functioning of the heating system, the temperature in the rooms is insufficient or after heating it drops too quickly. This may be due to leaky windows and doors,

From the book Insulation and waterproofing of houses and apartments author Kolosov Evgeniy Viktorovich

From the book Country Construction. The most modern construction and finishing materials author Strashnov Viktor Grigorievich

From the author's book

From the author's book

Insulating windows To insulate windows, you need to glue special gaskets made of spongy or profile rubber or foam rubber to the edge of the windows and transoms. The so-called Finnish cord - a woolen cord in a cotton sheath - is also suitable for this purpose. More often than not, window slits

Despite the lightness and reliability of pile-grillage foundations, they have one significant drawback - the presence of open space under the floor of the first floor of the building. Also, a monolithic grillage can lie directly on the ground or be shallow.

And due to the constant influence of groundwater, over time the grillage material will collapse and the building will shrink. In order to maintain the integrity of the structure for as long as possible, it must be carefully waterproofed and insulated. And there is a whole technology for insulating pile-grillage foundations, which every builder should know about.

Technologies for insulation of pile-grillage foundations

At the moment, there are a large number of different technologies for insulating grillages, ranging from the use of polymer materials to the construction of a blind area. But the key task here is to choose the optimal technology that is suitable for a specific foundation and takes into account not only the climatic conditions of the given territory, but also the properties of the soil and the height of the water soil horizons. Therefore, popular technologies for insulating pile-grillage foundations are as follows:

• Adding expanded clay into the sinuses;
• Installation of modern polymer insulation;
• Blind area device;
• Combining all three techniques and using them simultaneously.

It is clear that all these are traditional insulation methods that are suitable in one climatic region, but cannot be used in another. The advantages of such methods are that they are relatively simple and easy to implement. And materials for insulation and waterproofing are available for free sale. But the key drawback of these technologies is their far from excellent efficiency in conditions of high groundwater content, as well as the unpresentable appearance of the base. It is clear that a blind area can eliminate such shortcomings, but this is more a waterproofing of the foundation than a decorative design.

What is a blind area and why is it needed?

The blind area is a special waterproofing of the outer surface of the foundation, designed to drain rainwater from the base towards the drainage system. It is made of sand, expanded clay and clay, the top ball is concreted with a slight slope to the side. As a rule, the blind area has both the characteristics of waterproofing and insulation, and also has a decorative purpose. It is not surprising that it can be found near the basements of old houses, where rainwater drainage plays a key role.

The blind area is also used as insulation, only granulated expanded clay is used inside, which acts as a backfill near the outer surface of the strip grillage.

Insulation of the pile-grillage base from the outside

As a rule, the design of a pile-grillage foundation provides only external insulation and waterproofing. The side edges here serve as the ground floor and it is precisely this that is insulated. For this you can use:

1. A layer of bitumen that covers the side edges of the grillage. This is good waterproofing. After all, bitumen forms a strong and reliable layer of protection.
2. Expanded polystyrene or polystyrene foam. This is polymer thermal insulation, glued to bitumen or directly to the leveled surface of the grillage.
3. Then all seams must be sealed with foam to prevent the formation of cold bridges. But when using penoplex in several layers, it is not advisable to do this, because the sheets of penoplex have a contour shape and are attached to each other.
4. As additional thermal insulation, reinforcing steel mesh is used. It is used to protect the insulation from rodents, and also as a basis for further plastering of the base.
5. As soon as the glue under the slabs has completely dried and the mesh is tightened. The top of the structure needs to be covered with plaster.

There is also an alternative to this insulation technology. This is the construction of a strip-type plinth. In most cases, it is installed around the beam grillage on the outside, forming a “warm masonry”.

But insulating such a structure in some cases may be more expensive in the long run than thermal insulation of the main foundation.

Insulation of pile-screw foundations

The technology for insulating pile-screw foundations is practically no different from insulating strip grillages, because they are present everywhere. But there is one feature here - the possibility of insulation only at the level of the grillage, because it is technically practically impossible to insulate piles. In such cases, a strip plinth made of concrete blocks or bricks is erected around the perimeter of the base, and the internal space is filled with expanded clay or soil. The technology itself is not complicated, but it is quite labor-intensive and requires appropriate knowledge.

1. First of all, you need to waterproof all areas of the foundation and provide a drainage system under the blind area. All open parts of the grillage are covered with a layer of bitumen or roofing felt; you can also use a liquid waterproofing agent, but it is more expensive than bitumen, although more effective.
2. Then they waterproof the vertical sections of the base, including both sides. The insulation technology is the same as for insulating the grillage from the outside, only here you also need to waterproof the piles. The upper edge of the piles is covered with bitumen or roofing felt, and the hole is made with a larger diameter than the diameter of the pile.
3. After installation of all piles, a bulk cushion is formed. This cushion should be between the zero and lower levels of the base; the cushion can be made from construction sand with expanded clay and compacted.

Features of insulation of grillage foundations

Despite the fact that now on the building materials market you can choose a variety of insulation materials of polymer and mineral origin, people often adhere to traditional technologies.

There are several reasons for this: tradition, cost of materials, the ability to do everything yourself, as well as durability. After all, even the pavement, made correctly with an optimal slope and waterproofing of the connection between the concrete platform and the plinth, provides excellent protection from rainwater. And for thermal insulation they use cheap and lightweight foam.

But polystyrene foam is not suitable for soils that are characterized by high humidity. Here it is better to use waterproof insulation, because only they can withstand prolonged exposure to even aggressive groundwater.

Any technology for insulating pile-grillage foundations has its positive and negative sides. The cost of materials and work, the shape and features of the foundation, the factor of quality and durability are noted here. Therefore, you need to decide for yourself how and with what to insulate such a foundation without much damage to your wallet and loss of quality and reliability of the foundation.