We do not live in the warmest climate, so it is important that our home is warm and comfortable. If you decide to build your home on your own, then you are probably worried about the question of what material the house is warmer from. It should be borne in mind that each of the materials has its own characteristics, so it is not always possible to unequivocally answer the question of the warmth of the house. Today, most often people use timber, brick and foam concrete for construction. Let's compare these materials.
Materials
Foam concrete is one of the most popular materials listed above. This is not strange, because it is lightweight, fireproof, not susceptible to insects, and the exterior of a house from foam concrete is not difficult to do. From the point of view of heat resistance, foam concrete loses to other building materials, so such a house has to be constantly heated. If you do not heat such a house for a long time, you need at least a day to then warm it up properly.
Brick is the next most popular material. Brick walls retain heat well, but they also require constant heating of the room. If you do not do this, in winter the brick begins to absorb moisture and can collapse under the weight of the masonry. If long time do not warm up a brick house, it will have to be warmed up for about three days to normal temperature. Brick house needs to be insulated outside additional layer insulation.
What is the best choice?
When asked which house is the warmest, experienced builders usually answer: wooden. The main advantage wooden buildings is that they can be fully warmed up in just a few hours. Such houses are not afraid of destruction from moisture, since after the house has settled, the risk of deformation is minimal. However, at wooden houses there are two significant disadvantages: they are afraid of insects and fire. Treating wood with special tools helps to slightly reduce the risk of such problems.
An interesting solution for the home is frame technology. Such houses are cheaper than similar ones made of timber or stone. In addition, the material from which the panels are made has a much lower thermal conductivity coefficient. A house using frame technology can be built quite quickly, regardless of the season. Such a house is also suitable for those who do not plan to live in it permanently, since it can be warmed up in just 2-3 hours. If necessary frame house can be disassembled and reassembled. The disadvantage of such a house is that the walls by themselves cannot retain heat, so it is necessary that the house has a heating source that can work constantly. Before building a house, it is important not only to understand which house is warmer, but also to clearly define how often you are going to visit it, and whether the material you choose meets all the requirements.
Well, if the tree has already been planted, the son has grown, then all that remains is to build a house. We already have a land plot, a lot of ambitions, forces and means. And from what to build a house, so that it protects from blizzards and cold in winter. Which house will be warmer?
Remembering a children's tale about three pigs, the choice definitely falls on such a building material as brick. But today for building a house, the choice of materials is much larger than in a fairy tale. It can be: gas silicate, aerated concrete, timber, rounded log or foam block.
Selection of materials for construction
When choosing a material for construction, it is important to pay attention to some aspects. For example, on its environmental friendliness, shrinkage, thermal insulation properties, moisture resistance and air permeability. If we compare such two materials as logs and laminated veneer lumber, then they are slightly similar. Both are made of wood, which is capable of regulating humidity and circulating air. But, unlike a log, the timber practically does not settle due to special processing. While the shrinkage of a rounded log can take almost a year. Also, the log has lower thermal insulation, since the thickness of the wall will not be uniform everywhere due to the cylindrical shape of the material. The log has its own shelf life and will crack over time.
Using a foam block
As for the foam block, it has low thermal conductivity due to porosity, but it is higher than that of 
timber. A significant disadvantage is the ability to retain moisture, which is not suitable for seasonal homes. The peculiarities of the foam block are that it does not burn and gives insignificant shrinkage.
Using aerated concrete
Aerated concrete has similar properties. It has high air permeability, but waterproofing is necessary to prevent wall collapse.
Frame house
In comparison with a timber, in terms of thermal insulation, a house built using frame technologies wins significantly. This is achieved thanks to its outer upholstery, which comes with insulation. But in order to heat such a house, you will have to pay a lot of money for the bills provided. Concerning frame technology they are used only in warm countries, but here they are used for seasonal living.
Brick
Well, good-quality, reliable brick, which is popular, has a higher thermal conductivity than a bar. A brick house takes longer to heat up and cool down faster. For living in such a house 
need to put good heating and think over additional insulation... Also, it is not in vain associated with wealth - the price of such finishing material not everyone can handle.
Having considered many types of materials for the construction of a warm house, we can come to the conclusion that a house made of glued beams will be the most environmentally friendly and warm. The locking system creates an impenetrable seam and does not allow cold and moisture to penetrate into a warm and cozy home.
For house insulation
In ancient times, the walls of houses were built very thick and massive. It was believed that the thicker the wall, the warmer the house will be. Today, this statement has ceased to be relevant. It is more advisable to use all kinds of thermal insulation materials. This is beneficial from an economic point of view, and also does not take away the space of the living space. The choice of various insulation materials on the market is very wide, it is only important to choose the right thickness of the insulation layer.
Almost any building material is already initially a heater, however, coefficient of thermal conductivity each material is different. So, for example, the minimum thermal conductivity of a tree is 0.09 W / mK, and reinforced concrete has the highest thermal conductivity, the thermal conductivity of which is 1.68 W / mK. In accordance with building codes and regulations, it is necessary to build houses in such a way that in the end they have approximately the same resistance to heat transfer, since 2000 the resistance value should not be less than 2 m 2 / W. Naturally, if you wish, any norms and rules can be bypassed, but they are not written just at someone's whim, they are designed to take care of saving heat and saving energy. Agree that few people want to spend a lot of money on heating streets in winter, and besides, in the conditions of global warming, concern for the environment comes to one of the first places.
Is it possible to do without thermal insulation?
If you follow the requirements of SNiP, but do not use insulation, then the thickness of walls made of various materials can reach simply huge numbers. For example, concrete houses should have a wall thickness of 2.5 meters, brick houses - 1.5 meters, houses made of wood are much smaller, but still their thickness should be about half a meter. These are huge material costs and not only. Thus, no one is building today. Today, they are either built from modern materials with low thermal conductivity, or they use good thermal insulation materials for the walls.
However, in the construction and insulation of buildings, it is not only such a characteristic of heat-insulating materials as thermal conductivity that is important, but also such an indicator as the ability of the material to retain all its properties throughout the entire period of operation. For example, over time, compaction of the thermal insulation material can occur, which leads to a decrease in thermal insulation. By settling, the insulation can expose the upper structures of the building, that is upper floors become colder. In addition, moisture can accumulate in the insulation, which also reduces it thermal insulation characteristics... Therefore, when choosing thermal insulation materials, pay attention also to parameters such as the quality of the material, its rigidity and the coefficient of moisture absorption.
What kind of insulation to choose?
Today, the most popular thermal insulation materials are styrofoam or expanded polystyrene... This insulation has the lowest moisture absorption coefficient, which means that there is no need to use vapor barrier when building walls. However, having a big plus, polystyrene also has a big drawback - it is a combustible material, therefore it is necessary to work with it with increased caution.
When using other thermal insulation materials, the use of vapor barrier is mandatory. Such materials are kraft paper (the cheapest material), glassine and PVC - film, which are more expensive, but of better quality.
Another thermal insulation material, which has found wide application in construction, is basalt wool ... Basalt insulation is environmentally friendly and safe for health and the environment. One of its advantages is its high fire resistance.
So, you decided to start building your own house, and naturally you want it to be cozy and comfortable, and given the peculiarities of our climate, this means one thing - the house must be warm. And what to build from warm house? Any building materials seller will advise you on a million options, but is this what you need?
First, you should clearly understand what your home will be like. There are different options, you can build a dwelling from foam concrete, wooden beams, bricks and their various options and modifications.
What to build a warm house from
Today, thermal insulation is best implemented in a building made of foam concrete blocks. This material is fireproof, and it is extremely rare to become a haven for a variety of living creatures (unlike wood). Since the foam concrete blocks are light enough, they are easy and quick to install.
Pros of a warm home with foam concrete
You will not need to hire a team of 10 workers, and all of them are paid, 2-3 people do an excellent job with construction works (saving money on the face). As for the exterior decoration, it is also carried out without much difficulty and in a short time: you just need to make the wall cladding and decoration using textured plaster.
However, like everything else in this world, foam concrete has its drawbacks. Since the heat resistance of foam concrete is greater than that of bricks, but not particularly high, a house made of foam concrete blocks in winter must be constantly heated, since if the building cools down, it will warm up for at least 8 hours, depending on the thickness of the wall. Another significant drawback is that the foam concrete house will not stand indestructible for 20-30 years, major repairs will be required.
Foam concrete blocks are destroyed because moisture is absorbed into the foam concrete, and it, in turn, turns into ice at sub-zero temperatures, expands and destroys the material. Although, if you do not plan to build a fortress, and will live in the house all the time, preventing the walls from freezing, foam concrete is what you need.
Warm brick house
Another option for building a house is brick, however, again, if you are building a house that you will visit periodically, then it is better not to build from bricks. Bricks absorb water, like foam concrete blocks, and fall apart in winter. And if you consider that brickwork a very difficult thing….
Destruction in the walls of the house can be very noticeable, up to the collapse of the structure. Bricks can only be used to build a house in which they will live all year round.
Log house
In the event that you woke up nostalgia for your grandfather's village house - you should build a house from a wooden bar.
Such a house will be quite warm and cozy, because wood conducts heat very poorly, which means that with the help of an ordinary potbelly stove, it is really possible to heat a house of this type in just a couple of hours. At first, sediment will occur in such a structure, but after that, the wooden beam will not deform.
Well, now about the cons. The main disadvantages are fire hazard, and a constant threat from all kinds of pests. And if it is not possible to fight the threat of fire, then insects can be defeated with the help of a special impregnation, which is used for processing wood. After all, our ancestors did not accidentally build houses from a wooden beam (although, it is worth noting that in that three they did not have much choice).
A wooden house boasts an ideal balance of cost, quality and other factors. Do not forget that a house of this type can serve your family for over a hundred years, and will become a good inheritance for your descendants.
Warm floor in a private house
Basically, country houses, have a sufficiently large area and they need good insulation. The most noticeable heat loss in a room occurs through the floor, therefore, floor insulation is a fundamental factor. Below will be described how to equip a warm floor in a private house.
The most commonly used flooring option is concrete. A concrete screed is used as a basis in such a field. It is under it that the laying of heat-insulating layers is done, which retain heat in the house.
Insulation work begins with the laying of the sub-floor. After that, moisture-proof materials are laid on top. The most suitable option for these purposes is glassine, since its quality and price have a good ratio. A layer of expanded clay is poured onto the moisture-insulating layer, it serves as a heater, for this reason, the thermal insulation of a house directly depends on the amount of expanded clay. Here it is worth saying that the expanded clay layer needs to be tamped.
The next step is to lay a plastic wrap, with some allowance on the walls, and gluing the joints. And after all that has been described, a concrete screed is laid.
Today, expanded clay is used in rare cases, since it is ineffective. Because, in order for the heat-shielding properties to be good, the thickness of expanded clay should be almost half a meter. For this reason, it is better to use more modern building materials - expanded polystyrene or polystyrene foam.
Warm wood floor
As in the previous case, before you start making a warm floor, you need to make a rough floor. Each wooden element should be treated with an antiseptic. Waterproofing is laid on top of the rough floor. In the free space between the lags, a heater is laid. Most often, mineral wool or pressed mineral fiber is used for these purposes. It is categorically not recommended to use polyfoam.
Another layer of waterproofing is placed on top of the lags, and only then the finishing floor is laid. Wood, if desired, can be replaced with laminate, linoleum, OSB boards or thick plywood.
Underfloor heating water type pros and cons
Often, to equip a warm floor, they use a water heating system. This method is quite expensive, but it works very effectively. Before building such a floor, you should carefully all the options for pipes that are provided in construction markets and in stores, listen to what recommendations and advice experts give.
Underfloor heating is not a problem when you consider that specialized stores offer a huge selection of building materials that are designed to equip a warm floor in your home. Which system to buy? Everyone decides for himself, taking into account the financial capabilities of the owner of a private house, his preferences, tastes and wishes.
Electric type warm floor pros and cons
Increasingly, people are installing electric underfloor heating in their private homes. This is a floor that uses an ultra-thin film, the so-called infrared floor. What are the advantages of this floor?
To begin with, it is simplicity in installation, any developer can cope with such a floor. And besides this, when laying such a floor, the height of the room does not decrease, since the system is very thin. And lastly, it can be covered with almost any kind of coating - laminate, linoleum or ceramic tiles.
Warm floor under tiles, video tutorial
Everyone knows that using ceramic tiles as flooring is the most preferable option when it comes to floor heating. But how to properly lay a warm floor under the tiles? The video of this process, which is provided to your attention below, will help answer this question.
To begin with, let's figure out what are the advantages of ceramic tiles as a warm floor. Ceramic tile better than others floor coverings the fact that it has a high thermal conductivity and is less susceptible to aging, does not dry out like a wooden coating when exposed to temperature. But, not every warm floor is laid under the tiles. Warm floors of an electric type are cable and film (that is, infrared or carbon).
The ideal option for a tiled floor is cable system... It is better not to use film floors, because due to their "glossy" surface adhesion deteriorates, which means that any thin mortar or tile adhesive does not adhere to the film. This can cause the tiles to peel off like a cake.
Naturally, it is possible to lay a film warm floor under the tiles in a special way, but the rationality of such actions is deeply questioned. For example, to install a film under a tile, it is required to pre-fill the film with a 4 - 5 cm layer of screed. If this thickness is ensured, the tiles will not fall off.
Cable underfloor heating, in turn, is used heating cable (heating sections) and heating mats. These floors differ in the level to which the floor rises. The heating cable will require at least 3 cm of screed from above before tiling. Heating mats can be covered with tile adhesive or a minimum layer of screed can be placed on top, on top of which the tiles are already being laid. Both options are used equally often (for whom it is more convenient). But, one should not ignore the fact that when buying tile adhesive, you need to choose a material that is recommended for a warm floor.
Due to the fact that the use of mats is not associated with raising the floor level, the use of heating mats looks preferable to a heating cable.
