Torn down all the way to the slab, what should the new floor structure look like?
As the topic describes, I have torn up the basement floor and plan to lay tiles down there.
I have a plan that I would like you to look at and then evaluate, perhaps coming up with tips and ideas.
Today, it's torn down to the slab, and my plan is to:
1. Manufacture/buy "plastic blocks" that are about 100x100x20mm (WxLxH) and place them symmetrically across the entire slab.
2. Then construct a framework with 45 wooden beams resting on these "plastic blocks."
3. Add insulation between the beams that also rests on the "plastic blocks." (Styrofoam? cellplast?)
4. Lay floor gypsum and then it’s just a matter of tiling.
This way, I get an air pocket of 2cm everywhere (except where the blocks are placed) and no organic material is against the slab.
Is it just a matter of going ahead with this or what do you think?
I have a plan that I would like you to look at and then evaluate, perhaps coming up with tips and ideas.
Today, it's torn down to the slab, and my plan is to:
1. Manufacture/buy "plastic blocks" that are about 100x100x20mm (WxLxH) and place them symmetrically across the entire slab.
2. Then construct a framework with 45 wooden beams resting on these "plastic blocks."
3. Add insulation between the beams that also rests on the "plastic blocks." (Styrofoam? cellplast?)
4. Lay floor gypsum and then it’s just a matter of tiling.
This way, I get an air pocket of 2cm everywhere (except where the blocks are placed) and no organic material is against the slab.
Is it just a matter of going ahead with this or what do you think?
Spontaneously, I would say "nah." Sure, you don't have anything organic in direct contact with the slab, but if you have moisture rising from the ground through the slab, it cannot be ventilated away with your solution and instead stays in the space between the floors. It becomes humid and stagnant air, and having wooden studs in that environment sounds questionable.
For that solution to work well, you need to have fans circulating the air under the slab.
Bite the bullet and do the job properly instead; break up the concrete, dig out, insulate with foam plastic, pour new concrete (with possible underfloor heating), lay tiles directly on the concrete.
Bite the bullet and do the job properly instead; break up the concrete, dig out, insulate with foam plastic, pour new concrete (with possible underfloor heating), lay tiles directly on the concrete.
The old construction was plastic+45 studs with polystyrene in between as well as chipboard and wall-to-wall carpet.
And the idea now is that I should break up the entire slab? That can't be the only option?
And the idea now is that I should break up the entire slab? That can't be the only option?
You have three options, as I see it:
1: Dig away, excavate, lay insulation, pour a new slab with underfloor heating and finally lay tiles on this (that's what I did).
2: Ventilated subfloor, as arne mentions (I have no experience with these).
3: Skip underfloor heating and lay tiles directly on the old slab (easiest and cheapest and probably sufficient if you don't plan to live in the basement).
1: Dig away, excavate, lay insulation, pour a new slab with underfloor heating and finally lay tiles on this (that's what I did).
2: Ventilated subfloor, as arne mentions (I have no experience with these).
3: Skip underfloor heating and lay tiles directly on the old slab (easiest and cheapest and probably sufficient if you don't plan to live in the basement).
I am not interested in either chiseling or installing underfloor heating. And preferably I would also like to avoid self-leveling. But for that reason, I also don't want a cold, uninsulated floor.
But if I build as described in my first post and install a pipe on each side of the space going up into the respective wall and connected to a ventilation unit, or alternatively a "bathroom fan" from PAX or similar.
Then I should have the function I am looking for, an insulated floor with an air pocket whose air can be ventilated.
Sounds like a problem-free basement floor to me.
Thoughts?
But if I build as described in my first post and install a pipe on each side of the space going up into the respective wall and connected to a ventilation unit, or alternatively a "bathroom fan" from PAX or similar.
Then I should have the function I am looking for, an insulated floor with an air pocket whose air can be ventilated.
Sounds like a problem-free basement floor to me.
Thoughts?
In my ears, it sounds like a considerably more complicated way to fix a basement floor than to break up the old concrete and do it right from the ground up. I don't think you'll get a warm floor in a basement with tiles without underfloor heating, but I've never done a basement floor without underfloor heating, though I've walked on many cold tiled floors in basements.PatrikElektriker said:
If you're going to ventilate the floor, I would recommend copying nivell or the like rather than inventing your own solutions. There's a reason these systems look the way they do, hard to believe it's just a matter of replacing with a few pieces of plastic, 2 pipes, and a fan.
Better idea:
Clean thoroughly. Lay S200 Cellplast or similar, about 50mm. On top of that, lay a vapor barrier. Then lay chipboard flooring on top. Afterwards, lay floor gypsum that is glued and screwed into the chipboard flooring, but make sure not to use screws that are too long so you puncture the vapor barrier.
Cheap, quick, and no organic materials. Works fine in our basement (though we have laminate flooring instead of floor gypsum and tiles).
If there's a lot of moisture coming from the slab, there's not much else to do; it's probably time to break it up.
Clean thoroughly. Lay S200 Cellplast or similar, about 50mm. On top of that, lay a vapor barrier. Then lay chipboard flooring on top. Afterwards, lay floor gypsum that is glued and screwed into the chipboard flooring, but make sure not to use screws that are too long so you puncture the vapor barrier.
Cheap, quick, and no organic materials. Works fine in our basement (though we have laminate flooring instead of floor gypsum and tiles).
If there's a lot of moisture coming from the slab, there's not much else to do; it's probably time to break it up.
How did everything look when you tore it out?PatrikElektriker said:
Did you have any growth anywhere?
Did it seem damp?
The moisture has to go somewhere, and if you do it your way, it will probably migrate to adjacent floor constructions or walls. You must secure those as well.Dr Fozz said:
The same thing with platon, you move any moisture to nearby constructions. If they are made of wood or other organic material, it is probably not recommended.