Warm floor on the balcony

Recently, the issue of keeping heat in our apartments for many people has become very acute due to not only the rise in the cost of utility tariffs, but also the improvement of the energy efficiency of their homes, as well as the desire to save money. Since most of the houses were built in Soviet times, it is clear that their energy efficiency, as well as heat storage, is low. This issue will be especially important in the context of the balcony.

Many today want to make it residential. And here you simply cannot do without such a phenomenon as a warm floor.... Without it, the maximum temperature that can be obtained is 15 degrees, which does not meet the criteria for living quarters. All underfloor heating on the balcony works on the principle of an electric heating pad. Floor water heating on the balcony is prohibited.

The creation of such floors on the balcony has its advantages and disadvantages. Warm floor is associated with comfort. Walking on a cold floor is not only uncomfortable, but it can also cause colds. But warm floors allow you to completely warm up the room.

The second advantage will be the ability to expand your own home by adding living space. As soon as the owner has installed a warm floor on the balcony, he can stylize it as a study, living room or dining area. But without a warm floor, a balcony can only be a storage room or a warehouse.

Another advantage will be a small saving in electricity, since underfloor heating uses less energy than existing heaters of various types.... And this will be very important in the winter, given the rather high utility rates, and will also be an excellent step towards improving energy efficiency.

Now let's talk about the cons of this type of heating. The first drawback would be the lengthy installation. To equip a balcony with a heat-insulated floor, you should spend a lot of time and effort. Regardless of how uneven the floor on the balcony is, it will have to be cleaned, leveled, installed, adjusted, and insulated. It also takes a lot of time to choose a high-quality coating, which will be above the warm floor.

The second drawback will be significant cash costs.

The last significant disadvantage will be deformation.... This disadvantage can appear when the underfloor heating system is installed incorrectly or incorrectly. In this case, the floor covering can quickly fail and deform other areas of the space. That is why the installation of floor floors should be trusted exclusively by experienced professionals.

As already mentioned, underfloor heating can be made on the basis of several technologies:

• Electric;
• Water.

If we talk about an electric warm field, then it can be:

• With cable system;
• Based on mats;
• Infrared.

The first category is the simplest. This type of heating works well with laminate flooring. In this system, the heating element is a wire. For comfortable operation of the system, you need a voltage of about 150 watts per square meter. After the wire is laid, the screed is carried out with the help of cement, and after hardening, the coating is laid on the floor.

Such a mechanism also has disadvantages, the main one of which is the need to provide waterproofing of the balcony slab.This entails an increase in the floor level on the balcony by about 12-15 centimeters. And when you enter the premises, it can be uncomfortable.

The disadvantage is that the screeds create additional stress on the slab itself, which can be critical for old buildings. In addition, the floor can be used no earlier than after 4 weeks. This is necessary so that the screed is completely frozen. Otherwise, everything will start to deteriorate very quickly and pretty soon everything will need to be done again.

If we talk about infrared floors, then this type will be an excellent solution for small rooms. The advantage will be that it can be used in conjunction with any floor covering, including carpet and laminate. The principle of operation is to emit infrared waves that are in a certain range. In this case, the heating element is made of strips with carbon paste, connected with lavsan. The paste is based on a mixture of lead and certain additives. The conductor of electricity is a copper wire.

If we talk about heating mats, then they are made in the form of a mesh with a fixed cable inside, through which electricity is transmitted. Its vein can be created from various materials. The main criterion will be the high resistance of this material. If the floors are insulated with mats, then waterproofing is not needed. The mesh is most often about 50 centimeters wide. You just need to roll it out and install the topcoat. If tiles are chosen as the flooring, then the mats can be put into a special composition. Then it is not necessary to do something with the balcony floor, and you can use the structure in 7 days. It is also very simple to operate such a warm floor.

In water-heated floors, heating occurs due to the presence of a radiator, which is located in a concrete screed. According to many experts, this heating option is the best for a balcony. Only it is prohibited by law. This design has a low cost, versatility and simplicity.

It is simply impossible to make a warm floor on the balcony without insulation. But what is the best way to use it? Experts suggest using the following materials for thermal insulation:

• Penoplex;
• Styrofoam and materials from it;
• Penofol;
• Mineral wool.

If we talk about penolex, then it is distinguished from others by its very high cost. But its properties are also quite good - it does not allow sounds, steam, and also perfectly resists physical and chemical damage. It is also easy to install. The only thing that discourages many from using it is the very high price.

Penofol is a composition that is a combination of polyethylene foam and foil. The material not only retains heat well, but also has good heat-insulating properties, and also absorbs noise well. Penofol can be of two types:

• Unilateral;
• Double-sided.

Most often, this insulation material is used in private houses.

Styrofoam and other similar materials are a cheap substitute for the above insulation. It retains heat well, which makes it a fairly effective solution.

If we talk about mineral wool, then it is also considered an effective insulating material, as it is easy to use and perfectly protects the floor from the cold. It consists of glass materials, which are first melted, then pulled, cooled and crushed. The disadvantage of the material is poor resistance to water and moisture, which is why mineral wool can only be used in conjunction with waterproofing.

There are a lot of insulation materials on the market and the selection must be carried out depending on the conditions at each specific facility.

The issue of leveling and raising the floor is an important preparatory stage when creating a warm floor. On an uneven floor, the entire structure will deteriorate very quickly. Its effectiveness will also be a big question. To do this yourself, you should first check the slab for various types of damage and irregularities, which are eliminated by pouring cement and subsequent leveling. This is called the screed. Sometimes for this you have to use fittings.

Another way is to make the floor on the logs.... In this case, some people do without heating systems at all. Thanks to the use of lags, the floor rises by ten or even twenty centimeters and is often compared with the level of the threshold. Last but not least, the wood retains heat well.

Installation of underfloor heating is quite simple and is implemented as follows. If necessary, the balcony slab is leveled using reinforcement and cement. After that, a screed is carried out, which allows you to reduce the floor in the room and on the balcony to a single level. If the homeowner intends to combine premises, then you cannot do without it. During the week, nothing can be done on the balcony, since the screed must dry.

After that, they begin to lay the hydro-barrier, as well as a layer of thermal insulation. Even an ordinary heat reflector can be suitable as the latter. It remains only to lay the electrical system, or pipes. Everything here will depend on the selected category of the warm floor.

If we are talking about installing a water system, then first you need to understand how the mechanism will be carried out - from a riser or from a battery. If you want to save money, then it is better to make a supply from a radiator. After all the preparatory work has been carried out, the installation of pipes begins. They are fixed on special brackets or rugs. First, you should mark how the pipes will be laid. To save money, it is better to stack them with a snake. The distance between the pipes should be a little more than 20 centimeters. After marking, it is required to distribute the brackets, taking into account the bends. For straight pipes, the mountings should be located somewhere at a distance of 60 centimeters, and where there are bends, the distance will be less. After the pipes are laid, it remains to simply pour the screed over the structure.

You can find out in more detail how the installation of a water heated floor takes place by watching the following video:

If it was decided to make an electric floor, then everything will be even easier. A heat-insulating layer is laid on the prepared screed, after which the tape for installation is attached. After that, mats are laid on this layer, or a cord that will conduct current. The next step is to install a thermostat. It is best to install it on a wall. It remains to fill the screed and the floor will be ready.

You can learn about the installation of an electric underfloor heating based on mats from the video below:

For some reason, many do not pay due attention to the finish coat, but in vain. The efficiency of the warm floor also depends on it, to a certain extent.

If the owner of the apartment is interested in saving, then the easiest option is to simply paint the screed. It looks good, but it will need to be done every two to three years. Alternatively, you can make a wooden floor. In this case, the load on the slab will be zero, but the tree must meet certain parameters. In order for it to last a long time, waterproofing will be needed. Although, if you wish, you can simply varnish it.

Another interesting option is PVC tiles. It consists of modules that are easy to assemble and disassemble. It is easy to clean and will not be afraid of moisture. It also comes in a variety of colors.

Someone uses an already proven coating - self-leveling floor... It is aesthetic, quite easy to maintain and can be poured over any type of warm floor. And it will retain its integrity and original appearance even with a slight temperature difference.But, it is still better to insulate the balcony before such a floor covering is applied.

Many people prefer to lay linoleum or laminate, or even plywood in general, according to the old tradition. Indeed, what could be easier and more economical than throwing a piece of material and securing it with baseboards? If you are looking for practicality and want to save money, then these options are for you.

And if the homeowner wants to impress everyone with his originality, then the best solution for him would be a glass floor. In this case, a very thick laminated glass is used, which, if damaged, will not shatter into pieces. It will be an excellent solution due to its thermal insulation properties. The glass floor will make it possible to divide the room into cold and warm areas. Another advantage will be the ability to combine with different types of coverage.

You can talk a lot and for a long time about ideas in the interior design of a balcony. But it is important to understand that interesting and successful solutions in each case will be individual, depending on the parameters of the balcony itself. First of all, it should be remembered that it is a limited space, and often too limited, and therefore its design should be as functional as possible. The following design techniques can be used:

• Appliances should be easy to build in and adjust;
• If you decide to make some kind of boxes and compartments for tools, then it is best to make them under the ceiling;
• It is better to make cabinets suspended, and tables and shelves as compact as possible;
• It is better to mount the luminaires over the entire area of ​​the balcony;
• It is better to use blinds and curtains than drapes and curtains.

The style of decoration of the balcony can be anything, as long as the owner likes it and does not stand out too much from the general design concept of the room.

For example, if you decide that you will be laying tiles on the balcony, then it is better to use classic design styles. For example, dark brown furniture will work best with pastel colored tiles. In this case, it will not be superfluous to install pots with plants or flowers in the corners of the balcony, or small partitions with them.

If you decide to give preference to a wooden floor, then the balcony will look great in Provence or country style. Also, delicate shades of pink in the general design with standard parquet colors will look no less interesting because of their unusual combination.

If you are a supporter of high-tech style, then both tile and laminate may be relevant in this case. For good lighting of the specified type of interior, you can make the backlight over the entire floor area, or you can use the technique of placing light sources in the corners. This will also make it possible to create the optical effect of increasing the area of ​​the balcony.

An interesting solution can also be a crumb rubber floor. The coating has all the necessary qualities, and also does not have a slip effect. Its important advantage will be the variety of colors. And the originality of such a floor covering is evident.

Also, if you have funds, you can make the floors glass. They can also be divided into temperature sections, which looks solid and beautiful.