I just wrote a post about building load-bearing pillars for balconies from lightweight concrete blocks. An adjacent problem I have concerns the attachment of the same balcony.
I also have a somewhat crazy idea that I would like to discuss with you. The problem, as I understand it, is that when you want to use the same exterior wall as a support for both a balcony and a (cast) floor slab, there's no room for insulation in between, thereby creating a thermal bridge.
My idea is simply to turn the blocks on the part of the wall where the balcony is to be attached so that you have a 500 - 600 mm (depending on the brand) thick wall there instead of 365 mm (or similar). Wouldn't there be enough room for support for the floor slab, insulation, and support for the balcony then?
An alternative idea for the balcony is to build more pillars and place lightweight concrete beams between them and use them as support for the balcony.
The idea is to cast the balcony floor slab as a composite floor slab, like Peva 45 or Combideck, but there might be smarter ways? Could you perhaps even use lightweight concrete floor slabs or lightweight concrete beams?
If you're wondering why I'm figuring this out myself, it's because I have big dreams, a tight budget, and need to find cost-effective solutions
I also have a somewhat crazy idea that I would like to discuss with you. The problem, as I understand it, is that when you want to use the same exterior wall as a support for both a balcony and a (cast) floor slab, there's no room for insulation in between, thereby creating a thermal bridge.
My idea is simply to turn the blocks on the part of the wall where the balcony is to be attached so that you have a 500 - 600 mm (depending on the brand) thick wall there instead of 365 mm (or similar). Wouldn't there be enough room for support for the floor slab, insulation, and support for the balcony then?
An alternative idea for the balcony is to build more pillars and place lightweight concrete beams between them and use them as support for the balcony.
The idea is to cast the balcony floor slab as a composite floor slab, like Peva 45 or Combideck, but there might be smarter ways? Could you perhaps even use lightweight concrete floor slabs or lightweight concrete beams?
If you're wondering why I'm figuring this out myself, it's because I have big dreams, a tight budget, and need to find cost-effective solutions
Can't remember if the Combideck is cast all the way to the wall's surface measurement, because otherwise, you should make room for setup for the joists, insulation, balcony. For insulation, you can use cellplast, even though there are special blocks for that purpose.