Step-by-step technology of insulation of the iron front door

The metal door is a perfect protection against burglary and uninvited guests, but it does not protect from the cold badly. Metal has excellent thermal conductivity, so the temperature on the inside of the door will be almost the same as outside. This can lead to the appearance of condensation, from which the metal elements of the structure will eventually break down. In addition, between the metal door and the frame, a gap of 5-8 mm is left without fail, and through it cold air penetrates into the apartment, which also causes a deterioration of the microclimate in your home.

All these troubles can be avoided if we insulate the entrance iron door. The insulation can be made using various materials, and the most popular ones are fibrous or foam plates. The technology of their application for the insulation of the iron door is generally similar, similar to the thermal characteristics, they differ in mechanical properties and fire safety.

Fibrous materials: mineral and stone wool

Fibrous heaters include mineral and stone wool, made in the form of solid plates or roll materials. They have excellent heat-insulating properties, do not support combustion, it is a good noise isolator, easy to attach and fit into the size of the door frame. In this case, it has a significant drawback: when wet, fibrous materials lose volume, after which their thermal insulation properties decrease sharply. Therefore, in the event that the front door separates the cold room and the warm apartment, and condensation can form on the surface of the metal, the use of mineral wool is impractical. Its use is recommended in heated apartment building entrances.

Polystyrene and polystyrene

Polyfoam is an expanded polymeric material, the bubbles of which are filled with air. Polystyrene has a similar structure, but it is filled not with air, but with nitrogen, due to which it is much less prone to destruction and combustion, while its price is somewhat higher. Both materials are produced in the form of plates of different thickness, so you can choose the thickness of the layer of insulation, which will insulate the iron door and achieve the desired thermal insulation properties. Polyfoam and polystyrene are not afraid of moisture, so you can use them in any room.

foam. Required materials and tool

. In addition to the insulation chosen according to your conditions, you will need:

• Sheet of laminated chipboard or plywood in the size of the door, taking into account the frame for internal cladding;
• A bar made of dry wood for the performance of the internal frame, to which the inner
• will be fixed. Foam;
• Plaster or putty;
• Polymer packing tape;
• Contact universal adhesive for mounting insulation on a metal surface;
• Electric jigsaw and screwdriver;
• Sharp knife for cutting insulation;
• Spatula.

Thermal insulation of the door frame

The metal door frame is usually made of a corner fixed in the walls with metal pins. Between the box and the wall there are often gaps, which during installation are hastily sealed with mounting foam. Foam has one drawback - unprotected from light radiation, it very soon loses its properties and collapses. You can determine this by the yellow or brown color of the old foam. If the box of your door is insulated in this way, you need to remove the old foam and perform the insulation again.

1. For this, the wall adjacent to the door frame is peeled off the remains of the old insulation, spreads out the plaster to a solid base and removes dust residues.
2. Surface is wetted with water, after which the holes and slots of depth more than 2 cm are filled with mounting foam.
3. After the foam has expanded and freezes, the excess is neatly cut off with a sharp knife.

The box is finished with a layer of plaster or putty, which will play a protective and decorative role. The door frame thus blocked will stop passing cold air.

Thermal insulation of the door

Before starting work on the insulation of the door, it is necessary to remove the overlaid elements: the eye, the handle, and the lining of the lock.

1. The insulation of the door begins with the fastening of the inner wooden frame, to which the inner lining will be subsequently fastened. It is made from a dry bar along the perimeter, as well as along the transverse stiffeners. A bar is attached to the frame of the door, without violating the integrity of the sheet metal, on the screws. The bar should be chosen so that it is flush with the protruding elements of the structure.
2. Fibrous or foamed heat insulation material is laid between the wooden blocks. It can be fixed as a rival between the bars, and on the glue. The greatest reliability of fastening the heater can be achieved by combining these methods. Open the heat insulation material so that the gaps between it and the frame are minimal. Heat insulation, both fibrous and foamy, it is convenient to cut with a sharp thin knife, using a metal ruler.
   

   Technology of metal door insulation

3. The surface of the door is glued with glue. The glue is applied with strips or a continuous thin layer, after which a heat insulation material is applied and pressed tightly against it.

After the exposure, necessary for the drying of the adhesive, check the insulation for no gaps. Large gaps foamed with mounting foam followed by trimming level with insulation, gaps of less than 0.5 mm can be filled with thin strips of foam, using all the same glue.

Interior door trim and door seal

The inner lining plays a triple role: it protects the heater from damage, is an additional noise and thermal insulation, and also performs a decorative function. Therefore, special requirements are imposed on the interior finish: it must be not only strong and waterproof, but also aesthetically pleasing. Typically, the interior finish is made of laminated chipboard or MDF, you can also make it from moisture-proof plywood, covered with artificial leather.

1. Cut from the selected material canvas to the size of the door. The fabric should be flush with the outer frame of the door, but do not protrude beyond it, otherwise the door will not close properly. In the canvas, cut out the holes for the keyhole, the peephole, the handle. You can do this with an electric jigsaw.
2. If the inner lining is made of plywood trimmed with artificial leather, then before attaching the canvas to the frame, you need to wrap it around your skin. The skin is cut to the size of the canvas plus 10 cm on each side. The allowances are bent to the inside and are fixed with furniture brackets. In addition, you can fix the skin with decorative nails on the front side.
3. Cloth is fastened to the carcass from the bar with self-tapping screws, pre-lubricating the bars with universal glue around the perimeter. Self-tapping screws are fixed at equal distances of 30-40 cm along the perimeter of the entire door. Screws are better to choose with decorative hats.
4. Install the necessary elements: eye, handle, keyholes.
   

   Installing the handle in the insulated door

5. For final insulation, as well as high-quality sound insulation, it is necessary to install a sealing polymer tape around the perimeter of the door frame. It is attached to a special adhesive layer on the tape.
   

   Installation of sealing polymeric tape

The iron door, insulated by all rules, perfectly keeps heat inside the house and is a reliable protection against noise. The service life of the door is also increased, as the insulation ensures reliable protection of metal structures from condensate.