THermal insulation

• THe practical way of improving the thermal insulation of a solid concrete ground floor is to add a layer of rigid insulation board to the floor
• ANy material used as an isulation layer to a solid concrete ground floor must be sufficiently strong and rigid to support the floor loads without undue compression and deformation
• The material commonly used for floor insulation are mineral wool slabs , extruded polystyrene , cellular glass and rigid polyurethane foam boards
• THe layer of insulation may be laid below the floor screed or under the concrete bed
• With insulation under the floor screed or concrete bed , it is important that the density of the insulation board is sufficient to support the load of the floor itself and imposed loads on the floor
• THe advantage of laying the insulation below the concrete bed is that the high density concrete bed will not lose hear to the ground

THe insulation below floor screed

1. sand-cement screed with nominal reinforcement
2. Dpm
3. Insulation
4. Concrete floor slab
5. hardcore
6. FOrmation level (ground)

Note: the dpm and insulation sandwiched between the sceed and concrete

THe insulation concrete bed

Without vapour barrier it is possible that interstitial condensation may form on top of the damp proof membrane(dpm) is plcaed below the rigid impermeable insulation

sequence of cold ground

1. Concrete floor slab
2. Dpm
3. Insulation
4. Hardcore
5. Formation level (ground)

Dpm placed above the rigid impermeable insulation