I'm considering which construction method is preferable, the space is 15m² and it's the house's hallway, a central place that you want to look "nice." Other areas I can cover with a green needlefelt carpet, but I'd like something nicer for the hallway!
The house is a split-level with an uninsulated slab. Currently, the floor is constructed as follows, from bottom to top:
- Uninsulated slab, unknown thickness
- Building plastic/foil
- 20mm fiberboard/chipboard
- Black glue with asbestos
- Linoleum tiles
- 20mm pine floor
The slab shows some moisture just where the foil ends, possibly because the foil blocks so effectively that moisture pushes up around its edges?
Anyway, I plan to redo the construction since I believe the plastic foil has served its purpose, and now I have to choose between 2 different construction methods:
1. Passively ventilated platong floor, 20mm comfort insulation, 15mm parquet
Advantages:
- Cheaper
Disadvantages:
- Increased moisture load on adjacent interior walls of lightweight concrete + plaster
- Organic material in the floor construction
2. LK EPS 16mm groove board with 12mm underfloor heating and natural stone directly on top.
Advantages:
- Warm underfoot
- The floor is inorganic
Disadvantages:
- Risk of reverse moisture migration
- More expensive
The room is currently heated by a radiator and feels like a normally tempered living area. The underfloor heating is NOT intended as the primary source of heating but more for foot comfort if I choose a stone floor. Since the natural stone is laid directly on the groove boards without any screed, the pipes are fairly close to the surface, and perhaps not much heat is needed to increase comfort, thus reducing the risk of heating the slab and creating a warm cushion under the space?
Just natural stone would have been ideal, but the slab is quite cold in winter and not pleasant to walk on directly.
Breaking up the floor is not an option, as it would affect all interior walls and other areas I don't plan to modify. Additionally, considering all the rock I encountered during drainage, it’s likely not far down to bedrock under the slab either.
So, between these two construction methods, which is preferable?
The house is a split-level with an uninsulated slab. Currently, the floor is constructed as follows, from bottom to top:
- Uninsulated slab, unknown thickness
- Building plastic/foil
- 20mm fiberboard/chipboard
- Black glue with asbestos
- Linoleum tiles
- 20mm pine floor
The slab shows some moisture just where the foil ends, possibly because the foil blocks so effectively that moisture pushes up around its edges?
Anyway, I plan to redo the construction since I believe the plastic foil has served its purpose, and now I have to choose between 2 different construction methods:
1. Passively ventilated platong floor, 20mm comfort insulation, 15mm parquet
Advantages:
- Cheaper
Disadvantages:
- Increased moisture load on adjacent interior walls of lightweight concrete + plaster
- Organic material in the floor construction
2. LK EPS 16mm groove board with 12mm underfloor heating and natural stone directly on top.
Advantages:
- Warm underfoot
- The floor is inorganic
Disadvantages:
- Risk of reverse moisture migration
- More expensive
The room is currently heated by a radiator and feels like a normally tempered living area. The underfloor heating is NOT intended as the primary source of heating but more for foot comfort if I choose a stone floor. Since the natural stone is laid directly on the groove boards without any screed, the pipes are fairly close to the surface, and perhaps not much heat is needed to increase comfort, thus reducing the risk of heating the slab and creating a warm cushion under the space?
Just natural stone would have been ideal, but the slab is quite cold in winter and not pleasant to walk on directly.
Breaking up the floor is not an option, as it would affect all interior walls and other areas I don't plan to modify. Additionally, considering all the rock I encountered during drainage, it’s likely not far down to bedrock under the slab either.
So, between these two construction methods, which is preferable?
Dug up the floor, excavated 30cm, insulated and poured new concrete.
Absolutely, got a chance to do it right.. That is, lay a capillary-breaking layer and insulate. The work area was extended to half of the downstairs area, laid down underfloor heating everywhere and cut out the radiators, the underfloor heating is now the main heating source in the area that has been redone.