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Do-it-yourself garage insulation. Insulating a garage - inexpensive ways to insulate a wooden garage from the inside

At first glance, insulating a garage may seem impractical and expensive. But this is just a delusion, today's building materials market makes it possible to quickly and inexpensively insulate any room. Due to the insulation, it will be possible to reduce the humidity that arises from temperature changes. And as you know, moisture stimulates the metal to corrode. Therefore, insulating the walls of the garage from the inside will contribute to the safety of the car.

Almost any heat-insulating material that meets the following characteristics is suitable for insulating garage walls:

  1. Not exposed to moisture and fungus;
  2. Has low thermal conductivity;
  3. Resistant to fire;
  4. Has a low weight;
  5. Has a positive attitude to temperature changes;

Which material have good thermal insulation and meet all the requirements:

  1. Styrofoam;
  2. Glass wool or mineral wool;
  3. Sprayed polystyrene foam;

This is not to say that this or that material is better suited for insulating a garage. Each of them has its own specifics, advantages and disadvantages.

Insulation of garage walls with mineral wool

Mineral wool is one of the most disturbed materials for thermal insulation of a room. Advantages and disadvantages:

  1. Mineral wool has excellent characteristics;
  2. Has good sound insulation;
  3. Insignificant weight of insulation;
  4. Easy to assemble;
  5. The material is resistant to attacks of dampness and fungus, since the air has the ability to circulate through the insulation layer.

Disadvantages of the material:

  1. When wet, cotton wool loses its thermal insulation properties;
  2. Requires good waterproofing;
  3. The cost is several times higher than other thermal insulation materials;

Mineral wool is produced in rolls and has a foil-clad heat-generating layer. Will be an excellent solution for wall insulation in the garage.

The disadvantages include a high class of flammability and fear of water.

Insulation of the garage with foam

Polyfoam is a cheap and practical material for insulation, easy to use

Quite cheap, but effective and versatile material. Suitable for insulating all parts of the visit. It is quickly installed, the insulation of the garage from the inside will take no more than 1-2 days. The advantages include:

  1. Durability and affordability;
  2. Does not attack by mold and does not rot;
  3. Excellent moisture tolerance;
  4. Resistant to temperature extremes;

Disadvantages of the material:

  1. It is attacked by rodents;
  2. Under the influence of sunlight, the foam begins to lose its structure;
  3. Flammable quickly;

It is worth emphasizing that insulating a garage with foam from the inside requires additional plastering or concreting

Sprayed polyurethane foam

Garage walls are treated with sprayed polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam entered the market not so long ago, but already from the first sales it won leadership in its field. There are no questions regarding the insulating qualities, but the price of the material is too high. The principle of operation consists in the deposition of a protective layer, which is completely sealed and resistant to physical and chemical influences. Polyurethane foam, as insulation for the garage from the inside, is an ideal armor against frost and moisture.

It's important to know! Before insulating a brick garage from the inside, it is imperative to study the structure of the roof and floor covering. Based on the information received, the choice of insulation is made.

Warm plaster

A brick garage is often insulated with special heat-insulating plaster.

Quite modern material, it looks like ordinary plaster. The composition contains substances with low thermal conductivity, namely:

  1. Expanded clay;
  2. Expanded polystyrene;
  3. Pumice;
  4. Sawdust;
  5. Vermiculite;

Polystyrene plaster has shown itself best of all. The material is used both outside and inside. The price is certainly high, but it is due to the best performance of thermal insulation.

Warm plaster is still better to use in combination with other types of thermal insulation.

It is quite simple to work with this type of insulation, therefore, the insulation of the garage from the inside is done by hand.

Sawdust-based plaster is also considered quite popular. It also has excellent thermal insulation performance and can be used both inside and out. The disadvantages of such plaster include drying times. For the process to go faster, there must be good ventilation in the room.

Benefits of warm plaster

The main advantage is the speed of installation. If for the installation of other insulating materials, you initially need to prepare the walls for fixing them, then with plaster everything is different. The surface does not need to be leveled, the plaster adheres perfectly to any material. There is no need to use reinforced mesh and everything else.

Of course, in comparison with traditional insulation, plaster is significantly inferior in its characteristics. Its use alone may not be enough for good thermal insulation of the room. Therefore, this material is best used in combination with other heaters.

Heat insulating paint

One of the easiest materials to use. He also appeared on the market not so long ago, but in a short period of time he was able to gain customer confidence. Despite its simplicity, the paint is highly effective in thermal insulation of a room.

A layer of heat-insulating paint is applied to the photo.

In terms of properties, the paint layer is 5 mm, but in terms of efficiency, they replace 1.5 meters of a brick wall. Therefore, choosing a heat-insulating paint to insulate the walls of the garage, the owner will not fail. The unique composition of the insulation is based on the features of the structure and the principle of operation. If other heaters simply do not let heat through themselves, then thermal paint also serves as a reflector. The material has similar properties due to the vacuum inside the paint.

Advantages of insulating paints

They have excellent thermal insulation characteristics, they are not subject to attacks by fungus and moisture. Perfectly attached to an unprepared surface. When using such heaters, the structure is not overloaded, since the paint layer has a low weight. The paint is resistant to fire, at high temperatures it does not ignite and simply smolders.

The disadvantages include only the cost of the material, but the price is quite due to many advantages.

Insulation of brick walls of the garage

As practice shows, it is better to insulate the garage outside. Thus, the insulation will protect the room from moisture and frost penetration. But if you want to insulate the garage from the inside, you need to familiarize yourself with the sequence of work.

Insulation along the crate is additionally sheathed with decorative panels

Wall insulation along the crate

When starting to build insulation of garage walls, you should remember that you need reliable waterproofing. The insulation must have ventilation, and it can be achieved by using a crate. In the case of a lined frame, it is better to use soft materials as insulation. For example, glass wool or rock wool rolls.

Insulation of a brick garage from the inside using frame technology has the following points:

  1. Wall cleaning;
  2. Surface treatment with an antiseptic to avoid mold and mildew;
  3. Erection of a frame from a bar or profile;

It's important to know! For the construction of a frame structure in the garage, it is better to use a profile. They do not rot and have a low cost.

  1. Execution of the garage lathing, the distance between the profiles does not exceed one meter for a long time;
  2. Laying of film waterproofing, is reproduced over the frame with an overlap;
  3. Laying insulation in zones, it is important not to leave gaps for the penetration of cold;
  4. Finishing with plywood or other materials;

For garages in which boilers are installed, it is better to use glass wool as a material for thermal insulation. External insulation is mounted in the same way.

Protection of the ceiling and floor from the cold

An example of ceiling insulation in a garage with mineral wool

The final stage is the insulation of the garage ceiling. The process is almost identical to the construction of thermal insulation of walls, but still there are some nuances. So, how can you insulate the ceiling in the garage:

  1. It is safer to use glass wool than foam.
  2. When insulating on the crate, it is advisable to leave several holes through which the air will circulate.
  3. It is necessary to create a good waterproofing, it is best to use roofing material.

As a cladding, as in the case of wall insulation, it is best to use plywood.

Floor insulation

Expanded clay as insulation is often used in private garages for floor insulation

Most often, the floors in garages have a soil base, so they must be insulated. An excellent option would be expanded clay and other rigid insulation using a reinforced concrete screed. How to properly insulate the floor in the garage:

  1. The thickness of the insulation plus the height of the screed is measured, exactly to this depth the top layer of soil is removed.
  2. The soil is carefully compacted;
  3. A layer of waterproofing is laid, it is best to use roofing material;

Important! It is necessary to make an allowance of roofing material on the walls of at least 25-30 cm. The material is overlapped.


  1. Installation of beacons;
  2. A layer of expanded clay is filled in, it should have a height of more than 30 cm;
  3. Installation of beacons for reinforced concrete screed;
  4. Installation of a concrete layer;

A water heat-insulated floor system is not a bad option. It is installed under the concrete screed. True, it will not be possible to install this system in every garage.

Insulation of metal gates

As often happens, the owners only insulate the walls and ceiling in the garage, but completely forget about the gate. And they, in turn, are the main source of cold and dampness in the garage. So how to insulate the garage so that the car does not freeze in winter.

The easiest way is to finish the door from the inside with expanded polystyrene

  1. A crate is created from the profiles, in the zones of which the insulation is laid;
  2. Fixing the foam to the metal base of the gate. You need to use liquid nails.
  3. The cracks between the foam must be covered with polyurethane foam;
  4. Spray with polyurethane foam;

Having mounted one of the types of insulation, it is worth installing seals on the gate leaves. Even small cracks can dramatically change the temperature in the garage.

Insulation of the garage is guaranteed to increase the life of the car. If all work is done correctly, it will be possible to create the optimal temperature in the garage at any time of the year.

Any car owner knows that in order for his vehicle to serve as long as possible, while maintaining its presentable appearance, he needs to provide acceptable storage conditions. In winter, the car should not freeze through, otherwise it will begin to rust and prematurely fail. To extend the life of the "mechanical friend", it is necessary to insulate the garage with foam.

This will create a favorable indoor climate that will be comfortable for both the car and its owner. How to choose the right heat insulator and organize the whole process - you will learn from this article.

We insulate the garage with foam on our own - a theoretical aspect

Insulation of the garage: a whim or a necessity?

Everyone knows that it is not recommended to keep the car on the street all the time, because there it constantly succumbs to the effects of the environment (rain, hail, snow), is accessible to vandals. Placing a car in the garage allows you to avoid all these troubles, but the vehicle must be provided with optimal storage conditions - temperature and moisture conditions.

In metal garages, the thickness of the walls is small, and in capital buildings made of bricks or blocks, it rarely exceeds 25 cm. Such partitions do not provide optimal conditions for storing a car.

Thermal insulation of the garage will allow:

  • improve the safety of the vehicle. The corrosion process in a car occurs under the influence of vibration, vehicle overload, abrasive wear and dampness. When parking in a garage, all these factors are neutralized, only the last one remains. But you can also get rid of dampness with the help of insulation;
  • extend the life of the storage room itself. It will be protected from such adverse factors as freezing of walls, excessive moisture, mold;
  • make car maintenance more comfortable. Such periodic actions as changing the oil, brake columns, checking the health of the vehicle, cleaning the interior in the garage is more convenient than on the street;
  • reduce the time for warming up the car in winter, fuel consumption;
  • to increase the functionality of utility rooms. An insulated garage can become an additional storage not only for car accessories, tools, but also household appliances and furniture.
The insulated and equipped garage will be comfortable for the car and its owner

Varieties of garages to be insulated

Storage rooms for cars differ in their size (they can accommodate one or several cars), location (they can be free-standing or be part of a complex / cooperative). Garages are also distinguished by the type of transport that can fit in them:

  • for passenger cars - these are small rooms intended for storing passenger cars, motor vehicles, minibuses;
  • for trucks - large boxes that can accommodate cars with a body or platform for the transport of goods (vans, dump trucks, tractors);
  • for special vehicles - hangar-type premises, which can accommodate buses, equipment for road and construction works.

Storage rooms for cars of different sizes differ in their dimensions, equipment

According to the construction material, a garage is distinguished:

  • metal is a temporary structure, under which there is no foundation, but only a concrete screed. It is mobile, the poet can carry it from place to place;
  • capital - structures made of brick, stone, blocks with a full foundation and roof. It is a durable building designed for permanent use.

A temporary garage is cheaper and quickly built, but for permanent use it is better to build a capital structure

The interior arrangement of the garage can also be different. There are premises for storing cars:

  • with a viewing hole inside. This is a special recess in the floor that allows you to inspect and repair the car from below. Its laying requires pouring the foundation and strengthening the structure with metal channels;
  • without a viewing hole. These are ordinary premises that do not require laying a monolithic foundation.

A garage with a viewing pit is more labor-intensive in design, since it requires the construction of an additional underground structure

For thermal insulation of a storage room for cars of each of the above types, an individual approach is required. Taking into account the purpose and technical characteristics of the garage, the choice of insulation, its installation, finishing work is carried out.

Optimal conditions for storing cars

There are certain regulations governing the storage of a vehicle in a garage. In winter, the temperature in the room should be + 5˚С on average. If it is significantly lower, it can lead to excessive cooling of the vehicle, higher - to the formation of perspiration. Both can cause condensation and corrosion.

Good ventilation of the room is equally important. Fresh air inflow for 1 car should be 180 m 3 / hour. The optimal microclimate in the garage will prevent the formation of dampness, help clean the air, and remove carbon monoxide gases.

Features of the choice of insulation

For thermal insulation of the garage, it is important to choose a material with low thermal conductivity. The lower this indicator, the less ability of the walls to release heat from the room, let the cold through from the street.

Comparison of thermal conductivity of different materials

The table shows that expanded polystyrene has the lowest thermal conductivity. This insulation 5 cm thick can replace a 1 m wide cinder block wall. In addition, when insulating a garage, remember that heated air circulates in space, transferring heat from some objects to others. Therefore, the best option would be a combination of a classic insulation and a reflective heat insulator.

Please note: all work on the insulation of the garage should be carried out in a comprehensive manner. If uninsulated surfaces are left in the room, a stable temperature regime cannot be achieved.

There are heaters:

  • polymer. They are produced by extrusion - passing a viscous substance through a forming hole. Polymer insulation, such as polystyrene, polystyrene (styrofoam), polyurethane foam, penoizol, are not exposed to moisture, rot, fungi. But they are fire hazardous and can be toxic if sanitary standards were not observed during their manufacture;
  • mineral and glass wool. These are fibrous materials supplied in the form of mats / rolls, made from glass, rocks, slag by spraying. They are lightweight and easy to use, promote air exchange in the room, but are sensitive to moisture, expensive;
  • reflective. This insulation is a layering of foil and polyurethane. One material reduces heat loss in the room, while the other helps to distribute heat over its entire area. But due to its small thickness, this material cannot be used as an independent insulation for a garage;
  • coloring. These are new polymer mixtures that allow you to create a thin heat-insulating layer and at the same time paint the surface in a certain color. The advantages of heat-insulating paint are also that it has an anti-corrosion effect, and therefore is suitable for metal processing. The disadvantages of the material are the same as the previous one.

The choice of insulation is a process that requires an individual approach

How to choose a quality heat insulator? Insulation for a garage must meet criteria such as water resistance and fire resistance. The best option in this regard is foam. It has low thermal conductivity, is not afraid of moisture, fungus, has a low weight, affordable cost. Its only drawback is flammability, but there is foam of the "PBS-S" brand, which is treated with a fire retardant, and therefore has a self-extinguishing effect.

The procedure for carrying out work on self-insulation of the garage

Regardless of whether the garage is a capital or a metal building, it is advisable to insulate it from the inside and outside. For these purposes, foam is best suited, since mineral wool will retain moisture, which will lead to the formation of condensation, the appearance of rust on metal elements.

Tools and materials

To carry out foam insulation of surfaces from the inside of the garage, as well as from the outside, you will need:

  • insulation (foam);
  • reinforced mesh;
  • vapor barrier film;
  • glue / liquid nails, polyurethane foam;
  • wooden beams;
  • self-tapping screws, plastic dowels "umbrellas";
  • primer;
  • electric drill, screwdriver, level.

A set of materials and tools for carrying out insulation work

Before thermal insulation of the garage, it is necessary to lay a ventilation system in it. If installed correctly, it will not provoke heat loss, but will remove excess moisture and carbon monoxide from the room.


Without ventilation, the garage will lose its ability to "breathe"

The sequence of wall insulation

To insulate the garage with foam, you first need to clean the walls from old paint, and metal elements from rust. For this, a stiff brush, chemicals (solvents, washes) are used. Irregularities in the concrete pavement, cracks are filled with cement mortar or putty.

  • waterproofing surfaces. For these purposes, a dense polyethylene film is used in rolls. It is put on glue, and the joints are sealed with tape;
  • installation of wooden lathing. The bars are attached to the waterproofing layer with self-tapping screws in such a step that the insulation fits between them. Wooden elements are pre-impregnated with linseed oil;
  • heat insulator laying. Foam sheets from the seamy side are coated with glue and placed in a crate;
  • application of a topcoat (upholstery with clapboard, plasterboard, OSB boards).

Fastening the foam with a frame method allows you to reliably fix the insulation on various surfaces

Due to the lightness of the foam sheets, they can be mounted directly onto the glue. And for additional fixation of the material, use special disc dowels.


Fastening the foam with an adhesive method allows you to quickly insulate the surface with minimal labor costs

When insulating the outer walls of the garage with foam plastic, the glue method is also used. A reinforcing mesh is pulled over the insulation, which will allow the material to be fixed and securely docked with the facade finish.


Diagram of a thermal insulation cake from the outside of the garage

Ceiling insulation

The technology of insulating a given surface largely depends on what material it is made of. If the ceiling is metal, you can insulate it in the same way as the walls. In the case of a concrete floor, the foam is fixed to the surface using wide-headed dowels. A reinforcing mesh is pulled over the heat insulator layer and the ceiling is finished.

Insulation of a garage door

This element, especially if it is made of metal, is the main source of heat loss in the car storage room. Therefore, the garage door must also be thermally insulated with foam. The insulation process is carried out in the following sequence:

  • the door is cleaned from rust with a metal brush, covered with an anti-corrosion primer;
  • foam sheets are attached to a dried surface using liquid nails or a frame method;
  • they carry out the sheathing of the gate with OSB or clapboard.

Tip: a garage door can also be thermally insulated with polyurethane foam. It covers the entire area of ​​the gate. As the foam dries, it will create a monolithic coating. All leftovers are cut with a knife.

Finishing work

When all surfaces of the garage are insulated, you can start decorating them. If the insulation was laid using frame technology, you can use various methods of sheathing along the attached logs using sheet materials (gypsum board, OSB boards, plastic), lining. If the foam has been glued, it will be convenient to apply textured plaster along the reinforcing mesh.


Finishing the garage will not only be an additional layer of thermal protection, but will also provide the room with a presentable look

For storage and long-term operation of a car, the correct temperature and moisture regime in the garage is important. It can be organized by warming the premises. The simplest and most convenient option would be to use foam. This material will quickly insulate all surfaces of the structure, preventing heat loss. It is simple and easy to work with it, so even a person without experience can carry out insulation.

The technical condition of the car depends not only on the features of operation, but also on the conditions of its storage. An uninsulated garage perfectly protects the car from rain and snow, which reduces the likelihood of rust. However, temperature drops are not good for the metal, and the equipment fails. The problem can be solved in two ways: insulate the garage or equip the heating system. What's better? How to insulate a garage from the inside cheaply and reliably? Let's consider the options.

Heat or insulate - that is the question

The ideal temperature for storing a car is +5 degrees. It is uncomfortable for humans, but it is in such conditions that the mechanisms are less exposed to the destructive effects of corrosion. Also, the machine should be protected from sudden changes: the temperature difference inside and outside the room should be minimal. Therefore, it is undesirable to connect the garage to the heating system and achieve "human" +20 degrees.

Insulated garage for two cars

Why is this mode optimal for the car? If the room is too hot or cold, condensation starts to accumulate in the mechanisms. This promotes corrosion. Due to the high humidity, fungi and mold multiply intensively, which negatively affects the condition of the interior. Condensation is also caused by sudden temperature changes when the car drives from frost into an excessively warm room.

Basic requirements for garage insulation

For the construction of garages, brick, cinder block or metal are most often chosen. The thickness of brick and cinder block walls is usually 120-250 mm. They do not protect well from the cold, therefore they need high-quality thermal insulation. It is necessary to achieve the so-called. "Thermos effect" so that the room cools and warms up as slowly as possible.

When insulating the garage from the inside, you do not need to strive to close up all the ventilation holes. This will have little effect on the quality of thermal insulation, but it can lead to other problems. If there is no access to fresh air, moisture does not evaporate and rust appears on the metal. In addition, harmful gases accumulate in the room. If there is no extractor hood or ventilation, this can be a risk factor for people.

How to insulate - inside or outside

Many car owners advocate exclusively for external insulation, explaining this by saving space inside the premises. There are also more weighty arguments, for example, concern for people's health.

Note! Some effective insulation materials release harmful substances into the atmosphere. It is undesirable to use them indoors, but they are great for external thermal insulation.

Choosing how to sheathe the garage outside, you can pay less attention to the environmental friendliness of materials and buy, focusing on performance and price.

It makes sense to insulate the garage from the inside. In this case, the materials are less exposed to negative environmental factors. When wet, heat insulators change their properties. If they are indoors, they last much longer.

Advice. If the budget allows, it is best to insulate the garage from the inside and outside.

Materials market overview: choosing the best

Most of the materials for thermal insulation are made from industrial waste. They include glass, cellulose, harsh chemicals, etc. The cheaper the insulator, the more disadvantages it has. We offer an overview of popular materials with an emphasis not only on their advantages, but also on their disadvantages, limitations in their use.

Installation of mineral wool on the ceiling

Option # 1: mineral wool

This is a traditional heat insulator that has been used for more than a decade. There are several varieties of mineral wool, among which basalt has proven itself best. It is an excellent heat and sound insulator, does not disturb the micro circulation of air in the room.

Mineral wool is produced in the form of hard, soft or semi-rigid mats of various thicknesses. Solid slabs are the most convenient to install and have higher technical and operational characteristics. In addition, hard mats do not slide off the walls and do not knock down, as sometimes happens with soft ones.

Installation technology is relatively simple. No special equipment is required for work, so many owners choose mineral wool for insulating the garage from the inside with their own hands.

Note! Mineral wool does not tolerate moisture well. When wet, it keeps warm much worse. When calculating the cost of materials, you should add the cost of high-quality steam and hydro insulators.

The scheme of the warming cake with mineral wool

Option # 2: glass wool

Glass wool is one of the cheapest heat insulators. This is where its advantages over other materials end. When installing glass wool, protective equipment must be used. Getting on the skin or eyes, the particles of the material injure, cause microtrauma, itching, redness.

Insulation needs high-quality waterproofing. If moisture gets on it during installation or operation, the glass wool crumples and loses its heat-insulating properties. Another disadvantage is the smell. In a room insulated with glass wool from the inside, it smells unpleasant for a long time.

Advice. Glass wool must be carefully insulated with films or foil.

Glass wool for insulating garage walls

Option # 3: Styrofoam

When deciding how to inexpensively insulate the garage from the inside, many choose foam. It is a cheap, reliable and durable material that can last for several decades. It does not rot, it is not afraid of insects and fungus. It can be cut with ordinary tools. No assistants are needed for installation. The material is lightweight, easy to use.

Like all thermal insulators, styrofoam isn't perfect. It does not allow air to pass through, therefore, in an insulated room, it is necessary to organize high-quality ventilation, and the joints between the sheets of material should be well sealed so that condensation does not accumulate.

Polyfoam is resistant to many chemical compounds, but at the same time it is afraid of direct sunlight. It is gnawed with pleasure by mice. If you do not take care of additional protective measures, rodents can destroy the insulation within a couple of years after installation.

Option # 4: polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam is a relatively new material, but has already become popular. It is appreciated for its resistance to external influences. The insulator is not afraid of moisture. After drying, it forms a dense hydrophobic coating.

After application, the polyurethane foam expands, fills all gaps and voids, adheres firmly to materials, so condensation does not accumulate under it. The material does not support combustion and can last more than half a century.

With all the advantages, the insulation is not devoid of disadvantages, the main of which is the difficulty with installation. Special equipment is required to apply polyurethane foam. It is desirable that the work is done by professionals. All this leads to an increase in the cost of thermal insulation, but the finished coating justifies the investment.

Applying polyurethane foam to metal walls

Option # 5: reflective insulation

The advantage of foil-coated insulation is that the thermal energy is reflected back into the room. Polyurethane foam is usually used as a heater. The total thickness of multi-layer reflective insulation can be up to 50 mm.

Foil materials prevent heat loss that occurs due to infrared radiation, but cope worse with those that occur during convection and induction of heat. This is a minus. And the pluses include the small thickness of the insulating layer, the durability of materials and resistance to all types of influences.

Option # 6: warm plaster

How else can you insulate your garage from the inside? If the walls are made of blocks or bricks, insulating plaster will do. It contains special additives that keep heat well: expanded polystyrene, sawdust or vermiculite.

The material has good thermal insulation characteristics, but in order for it to be really effective, you have to apply a thick layer of mortar. This creates additional stress on building structures.

Advice. Warm plaster is best used in combination with other types of insulation materials.

Option # 7: insulating paint

When considering ways to insulate an iron garage, pay attention to insulating paint. This material is a liquid solution of polymers with synthetic additives.

The finished coating has good thermal insulation properties. If we compare it with mineral wool, then the indicators differ 50 times (1 mm of warm paint keeps heat in the same way as 50 mm of mineral wool).

After hardening, the solution layer turns into a dense vapor-permeable coating that does not impede micro air circulation and at the same time protects the structures from the effects of water. The material is suitable for wood, metal surfaces. An additional plus is the simple application technology.

How to insulate a garage outside - step by step instructions

For external insulation, waterproof materials should be chosen, best of all in the form of rigid mats. The cheapest option is polystyrene. It must be closed from the outside, so you will also have to purchase finishing materials. The thickness of the insulation should be at least 5 cm. You will also need tools for cutting the plates, a notched spatula for applying glue, and fasteners.

Work order:

  • Surface preparation. The walls are thoroughly cleaned of old coatings, leveled, and dedusted. Cracks, crevices, gaps are closed. The surfaces are best treated with a primer. This is optional, but highly desirable for the adhesive to set well.
  • Bonding sheets. The sheets are greased with glue using a notched trowel, pressed firmly to the surface, controlling the pressure force so as not to damage the fragile material. The first row is placed on a pre-prepared bar fixed to the dowels. The rest are staggered.
  • Additional fasteners. When the adhesive is dry, each foam sheet should be additionally secured with plastic dowels.
  • Plastering. After installing the insulation, its surface is covered with a 3-5 mm layer of glue and glass fiber mesh is laid, glue is again applied and plastered.
  • The finishing touch is painting. When the plaster is completely dry, it is painted with facade paint. The number of layers depends on the characteristics of the coating, so you should carefully read the manufacturer's recommendations.

External wall insulation with foam plastic

How to perform internal thermal insulation yourself

To insulate the garage with high quality, you need to decorate not only the walls, but also the floor, ceiling, and gates. The choice of materials is extensive, each car owner can find exactly those that are suitable for his premises. Most often, they stop at polystyrene, mineral wool, and for the floor they buy expanded clay. It makes sense to combine heat insulators, because building structures are made of various materials.

Consider the main stages of garage insulation.

Do-it-yourself thermal insulation from the inside

Stage 1: floor insulation

Usually the floor in the garage is poured with concrete, so it is better to insulate it during the construction phase. If the premises are purchased ready-made, then the insulation will have to be abandoned, because the floor level will rise significantly, which can be inconvenient. An alternative is to remove excess soil and deepen the floor.

Expanded clay for concrete floor

Work order:

  • The earthen floor covering is leveled, carefully compacted.
  • A layer of sand of 10-30 cm is poured onto the ground from above, tamped.
  • A screed is poured over the sand cushion, the mortar is allowed to dry.
  • Expanded clay or sand is used as a heater. The materials are mixed with cement, diluted with water. The floor is poured with the finished solution, dried.
  • When the insulating layer is dry, the finishing concrete screed is poured.
  • At the end of the work, the floor must not be used for the next month. This time is needed for the complete hardening of the materials.

Stage 2: thermal insulation of the ceiling

How to insulate the ceiling in the garage from the inside and why is it needed? Warm air rises up - everyone knows this from the school physics course, so the ceiling must be insulated. Styrofoam is suitable as insulation. Considering the peculiarities of mounting materials on the ceiling, it is difficult to find an alternative to this lightweight and convenient insulator. Mineral wool is sometimes used.

Ceiling insulation scheme with mineral wool

Features of installing foam on the ceiling:

  • The choice of technology depends on the material from which the overlap is made. If the ceiling is wooden, then the foam can be attached directly to the surface with ordinary dowels or nails.
  • If the ceiling is a concrete slab, you will have to mount the frame and lay the heat insulator on it. In this case, the sheets of material are fixed with tape, and then pressed with an outer skin.
  • Crevices and gaps are blown out with foam.
  • The surface of the insulated ceiling can be treated with antiseptics, plastered, painted.

Stage 3: we insulate the walls

Before insulating a metal garage from the inside, it is necessary to level the walls if they are bent. Styrofoam, polyurethane foam and heat-insulating paints are best suited as heat insulators. For rooms built from blocks and bricks, mineral and glass wool are often used.

Preparation of surfaces for the installation of insulation

How to install cotton insulators:

  • The walls are cleaned of old coatings, a frame is made.
  • A wadded insulation is laid on the frame, securing it with special hooks.
  • The insulation is protected by breathable vapor barrier films.
  • Any exterior finish can be used. It is installed after laying the vapor barrier.

Fitting mineral wool sheets to size

Insulation of a metal garage with foam:

  • Surfaces are prepared, degreased.
  • The foam is mounted on glue, pressing it tightly against the walls.
  • The sheets are laid end-to-end, the gaps are blown out with polyurethane foam.
  • When the foam hardens, cut off the excess. Surfaces are putty and painted.

Note! When using foam, remember that in the event of a fire, it releases toxic substances into the atmosphere. It is necessary to strictly follow the safety rules, it is also advisable to keep a fire extinguisher in the garage.

Application of polyurethane foam to a sheet of insulation

Stage 4: defending the gate

How to insulate a garage door from the inside? The doors can be finished with foam in the same way as metal walls. If that's not enough, a veil can be made. For its manufacture, a thick fabric or thick plastic wrap is suitable.

Thermal insulation of walls and gates

General scheme of insulating garage doors from the inside:

  • To begin with, a crate is made, into the cells of which insulation sheets are then inserted, fastened with glue, dowels.
  • Joints, seams, gaps are carefully sealed so that cold bridges do not form.
  • Styrofoam is putty, painted or covered with outer sheathing sheets.
  • When the insulation work is completed, a curtain of polyethylene strips 20-30 cm wide is hung in front of the gate. The length should be such that there is a distance of 1-2 cm between the floor and the curtain.

Styrofoam on garage door leaves

Video: insulating the garage from the inside

Foam insulation:

Insulation of the doors of a heated garage:

Insulation of the ceiling in the garage with mineral wool:

Each motorist decides for himself how and with what to insulate the garage. The main thing is that he himself is confident in the reliability of the chosen methods. If in doubt, you can always consult with other car owners, find out how they solved the problem. Better yet, seek advice from a professional builder. They will help you correctly combine materials so that thermal insulation is effective, durable and relatively inexpensive.

Maintaining the right temperature in the garage is the key to a long service life of the car and other tools. In order to keep the heat in such rooms as long as possible, it is necessary to properly insulate them, both outside and inside. Fortunately, today it has become quite a simple matter to insulate the garage from the inside with your own hands. Almost every car enthusiast can do this.

In our country, most garages are metal structures that are very difficult to warm up. No matter how actively such a room is heated, its heat loss will be maximum. For such structures, it is necessary to carry out insulation work in the first place.

If we consider a concrete or brick garage, then in such cases it will be much easier to insulate the garage with your own hands, and the result will be several times higher.

It may seem to an inexperienced man in the street that the main purpose of carrying out thermal insulation work in garage premises is to increase the temperature to room temperature (on average +20). But such an opinion can be confidently called erroneous. The temperature considered to be comfortable for humans is not suitable for equipment and vehicles. Sudden heat drops, when the car drives into heat from frost, cause condensation to form. The resulting moisture settles on the parts of the car, which is critical for it. Therefore, the experts concluded that the result of the garage insulation should be a temperature of +5 degrees. This indicator is considered to be as close as possible to the ideal storage conditions of the car.

Another misconception of car owners is that before insulating the garage from the inside, they seal up all the holes and cracks in it, into which air could enter from the outside. At first glance, this decision may seem correct, but this is only at first glance. In fact, quite a lot of harmful substances are produced in the garage during the arrival and parking of the car, which are considered dangerous to human health. The same substances are capable of emitting the materials themselves used to insulate the garage. In addition, all moisture entering the room can only disappear by weathering. This state of affairs suggests that before insulating the garage with your own hands, you need to build a decent ventilation system in it.

If we consider the question: "How to properly insulate the garage - from the outside or from the inside?", Then the answer is "Outside!" The fact is that insulating a garage outside has a number of advantages over internal insulation:

  • It does not steal extra centimeters of usable area;
  • It completely eliminates the risks of freezing of the room;
  • It is not fraught with the influence of harmful substances emitted by heaters in an enclosed space.

All these arguments speak in favor of external insulation of garage premises, but do not forget about the financial side of this issue - insulation of the garage walls from the inside will cost a little less. However, in this situation, excessive savings will be unnecessary, since we are talking about human health. As mentioned above, before insulating the garage from the inside, it is necessary to make ventilation. The second important issue is materials - they are also not worth saving on.

Many people ask the question: "How to insulate the walls in the garage inexpensively?" The answer is simple: "You can cheaply insulate your garage, but is it worth it?" The fact is that a good thermal insulation material will cost more. In addition, when choosing a heater for a garage, you must definitely pay attention to its characteristics, which must meet specific requirements. After all, all garage premises are different and each of them may need its own type of thermal insulation.

Here is a list of the main materials used in our country for insulating a garage:

This type of thermal insulation has been used effectively for a very long time. Mineral wool allows you to protect the room from the cold, while allowing it to breathe. For garage walls, it is best to use basalt wool, which has the best sound and heat insulation characteristics. The big disadvantage of this insulation material is the fear of moisture. Therefore, when using it, it is necessary to provide good vapor barrier.

You can also insulate the walls of the garage using this material. Its advantage is its low cost. But glass wool also has a number of disadvantages. These include: the need for maximum protection of the whole body (especially hands and face) during work, fear of moisture (wet material is not suitable for use) and mandatory insulation.

Today, this material is considered the most popular for the insulation of houses and garages. The advantages of polystyrene include its relative cheapness, ease of use, resistance to moisture, decay. But it also has its drawbacks - poor air permeability, flammability and fear of sunlight. That is why it is better to insulate the walls inside the garage with polystyrene, but you only need to use special self-extinguishing polystyrene foam for this.

This type of insulation is a roll of foil, on one side of which foamed polyurethane foam is applied. A huge advantage of reflective insulation is its thickness, which saves space inside the room. However, one should not place high hopes on this type of insulation - the principle of its action is based on the reflection of heat in its mirror surface, and with induction and convection in the garage, this principle is not effective.

This type of insulation is a plaster with various impurities (expanded polystyrene grains, vermiculite and sawdust), which give it a heat-insulating effect. However, it should be noted that it is advisable to use this type of insulation only in addition to other heat insulators, since its independent use is impractical. To get the desired effect, you need to apply a very thick layer of insulating plaster.

This type of thermal insulation is also based on the addition of additional substances to the paint composition to retain heat inside the room. Heat insulating paint can be used on wood, metal and plastic surfaces. Therefore, this type of insulation is ideal for a wooden garage, as it will allow the tree to breathe.

Floor insulation

If the garage has a cellar or basement, then in this situation floor insulation will be unnecessary. If there are no such premises, then any insulation will need to start with the floor covering. Consider the three most common methods of floor insulation.

Insulation of the floor with expanded clay

  1. We remove the top layer of the earth to a depth of 45 cm.
  2. We lay out any waterproofing material (for example, roofing felt) along the bottom of the formed pit so that it is found on the walls for another 10 cm.
  3. With the help of cement or plaster mortar, we install beacons, which will serve as a level.
  4. We fill up the roofing material with expanded clay with a layer of 25-30 cm.
  5. We remove the beacons and cover their places of stay with expanded clay.
  6. We put a 10x10 cm reinforcing mesh on the expanded clay.
  7. We attach new beacons.
  8. Fill the floor with a concrete screed.
  9. Let the solution dry and set (do not put pressure on the floor for at least a month).

Floor insulation with expanded polystyrene under the screed

This type of insulation will allow not to remove the top layer of the earth, but at the same time it will "steal" about 20 cm of height from the room.

  1. Thoroughly clean the floor from debris and dust (preferably with a vacuum cleaner).
  2. We cover the floor surface with any waterproofing material (roofing felt or dense polyethylene).
  3. We put foam plastic with a thickness of at least 10 cm and a density of C-25 on the waterproofing. Expanded polystyrene plates should adhere to each other as tightly as possible.
  4. We cover the foam with another layer of waterproofing.
  5. We place a reinforcing mesh on it.
  6. We make a concrete floor screed.

Thermal insulation of the floor with expanded polystyrene under a wooden covering

This method of insulation allows you to take away from the room only 10 cm of its height. For its application, you can use polystyrene foam of any density, but the boards should have a thickness of 5 cm. You also need to stock up on a 5x5cm bar.

  1. We thoroughly clean the floor surface from debris and dust.
  2. We build logs from a bar, and between them we tightly lay the foam. Lags should be close to the wall.
  3. We put a waterproofing material on top of the expanded polystyrene.
  4. We cover the floor with a board.

Important! A tongue-and-groove board is not suitable for such purposes - it needs a very rigid fastening.

Wall insulation

There are several ways to insulate the walls of the garage - the choice will depend on the material from which the building was erected. Insulation of a brick or concrete garage can be performed using mineral or glass wool, foam; for metal structures, expanded polystyrene in slabs, foam polyurethane foam or heat-insulating paint is best suited. Note that you will most likely have to install.

Wall insulation with foam plastic for plastering

  1. We clean the surface of the wall from old coatings.
  2. We level the walls with the putty.
  3. We prime them.
  4. We nail a wooden plank to the wall, which will serve as a level.
  5. We apply special glue to the foam (10 cm), pointwise or over the entire surface.
  6. We press the expanded polystyrene sheet to the wall and additionally fix it with several dowels.
  7. We cover the fixed foam with a thick layer (25-30mm) of glue.
  8. We embed the reinforcing mesh in the glue.
  9. We plaster the entire surface of the wall.

Wall insulation with foam plastic for drywall, lining

  1. We create a crate on the wall from a bar or profiles with a step equal to the dimensions of the foam sheet.
  2. We fix the crate to the wall and ceiling.
  3. We place sheets of foam plastic in the formed windows and fix them with liquid nails.
  4. We seal all the cracks with foam.
  5. We trim the lathing outside with plasterboard or clapboard.

Wall insulation with mineral wool

This technology is very similar to the previous one - we insulate the walls with a crate. The only difference is that the mineral wool must be carefully covered with waterproofing material on both sides.

Before insulating the walls, it is also advisable to insulate the garage door. To begin with, you need to cut a wicket in the gate - such a manipulation will help reduce heat loss in the absence of the need to leave the car. Then you can insulate the gate using the scheme used to insulate the walls:

We wrap the inside of the gate with a layer of polyethylene;
We nail a wooden frame to them (it is advisable to treat the frame with linseed oil or any other antiseptic);
We fill the frame with heat-insulating material;
We sew up the foam with clapboard or plywood (something light).

To enhance the effect of thermal insulation inside the garage, just behind the gate, you can hang a polyethylene tape curtain.

The last step on the way to complete thermal insulation of the garage is the process of insulating its roof.

If the roof of the garage is made of wooden planks, then the insulation can be attached directly to it using nails or "umbrella" dowels.

If the ceiling is made of concrete floors, then it is advisable to use the wooden frame already mentioned above. It is advisable to fix the frame to the roof with metal corners or self-tapping screws, and the foam plastic to it - with tape or glue. The finished structure must be sewn up with any kind of material - drywall, lining, plywood.

As you can see from the article, it is not so difficult to insulate a garage. The main thing is that the master has patience, a small supply of funds and the right tool.

WITH read it, if it’s warm in your garage, it is very uplifting. This can be achieved by using a powerful heater, but it is worth remembering that the phrase "carry water with a sieve" also applies to heating. Let's save on heating and we will insulate the garage do it yourself.

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Do-it-yourself garage insulation. A bit of theory

To begin with, a comparative plate of the thermal conductivity of various materials W / (m * K) (the meaning of this unit of measurement will not be considered, the visible difference between the thermal characteristics of materials is enough, the lower the number, the lower the thermal conductivity):

Expanded polystyrene, for example, conducts heat 17 times worse than a cinder block. This means that a layer of such insulation 5 cm thick will replace a cinder block wall almost a meter thick!

Another important indicator is thermal inertia. It determines the rate at which the surface temperature of a structure changes over time. Here the picture is the opposite, the thermal inertia of the cinder block wall will be much higher than that of the expanded polystyrene wall. That is, it takes much more time for the surface of a massive wall to heat up.

This is not idle reasoning. From the above conclusion, insulation → (the link tells about the construction of a garage) is better to arrange in such a way that the thermal inertia of the enclosing structures from outside to inside increases, and the thermal conductivity of materials, this structure of the components, on the contrary, decreases.

With this scheme, the insulation "will not let" the cold inside (heat in summer), and the massive masonry and plaster of the inner layers maintain their temperature for a long time, forming a kind of "thermos".

As a rule, the walls of the garage are made relatively thin. For a cinder block wall 200 mm, for a brick wall 250 mm, or even 120 mm.


Of course, such a wall can hardly serve as a serious protection from the cold. A → is completely meaningless. In severe frost, no matter how swamp, perhaps condensation will appear on the wall, and even then, if the power heater approaches the Gulf Stream.

But there is good news, any garage can be insulated.

Do-it-yourself garage door insulation, how to insulate garage doors

Let's start with the garage door. Welded from metal 2.5-3 mm, in relation to heat retention, they do not differ much from an empty opening. Again, in order to enter, you have to open at least one sash. And when a car leaves the gate, all the heated air is thrown out.

We glue the insulation on the walls using adhesives prepared from dry mixes just before work.

Both polystyrene and other thermal insulation materials, by their very nature, have low strength. And the structure of heaters made on the basis of various kinds of fibers, in addition, makes them susceptible to water saturation, significantly reducing the heat-shielding properties of the material. All this makes it necessary (at least highly desirable) additional protection of our thermal "armor".

To protect the insulation from moisture and mechanical stress, the cheapest way is to cover it with a layer of plaster, for strength, reinforced with a fiberglass mesh. Especially if the walls are insulated from the outside. Siding and other facing materials are also suitable for external protection. You can also overlay the garage with decorative bricks, for example, if the building is part of a complex of a manor house, cottage, office, etc.

The protection of the insulation can be done with plaster, using facing materials: moisture-resistant gypsum board, cement-bonded concrete, gypsum-fiber sheets (GVL), various plastics.

Giving preference to sheet materials, it should be borne in mind that their fastening is carried out using a frame.

How to insulate a garage roof, do it yourself garage roof insulation

Let's move on to the insulation of the floor, which is usually the roof of the garage.

We insulate the roof in the same way from the inside. The method of fastening the sheets of insulation depends on the structure of the floor. If it is made of boards, then it is enough to “grab” the foam sheets with ordinary nails or “umbrella” dowels. Then close the insulation with sheet materials, attaching them to the plank base with long screws.

If the garage is covered with concrete slabs, a frame will be required to secure the insulation structure. We fasten the frame to the slabs using metal corners, and screws - self-tapping screws screwed into plastic dowels.

We lay insulation along the frame, securing it at least with tape, and then pressing it with sheathing sheets. We attach the sheathing to the frame.

Polyfoam does not allow moisture to pass through, therefore, it does not make sense to perform it hydro, vapor barrier. But if we use fiber insulation (for example "URSA"), additional measures are needed to protect against moisture. At the same time, from the side of the roof structures, we lay waterproofing, and from the side of the room, a vapor barrier. The vapor barrier will prevent the penetration of moisture in the form of steam.

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