JimShortz Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 I am building a small (4m x 4m) workshop that will have air conditioning. It's being built with AAC block walls and an insulated ceiling. The construction is fairly simple - 4 main posts with a beam around the base between the posts. This beam is 40cm deep and sat on the ground. The final floor level will be about 45cm above the surrounding ground. I plan to fill the base with dirt, then sand, then a layer of AAC blocks, before pouring concrete on top of these - to get a floor that has some level of insulation - any better ideas? I don't really want to use polystyrene because termites can eat it - I have had a cooler eaten through... AAC blocks are pretty cheap these days. 7cm blocks laid flat on their sides will only work out to be about 130 Baht per square meter - a total for this building of a little over B2,000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyecatcher Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Well I wouldnt. only this week on the forum we have been discussing dpcs and the fact that aac blocks are potentially like tea bags. filling a sub floor with loose blocks and the like without adequate compaction can lead to settlement and movement in your top slab. stick to a traditional board insualtion if you can, one thats foil lined will help against critters but really termites are not interested on polystyrene, they prefer wood. I concur that the blocks will cost about 130bt/m2 but what about there R value. you will find they are only about R-3, so R-1 per inch I was comparing and constrasting loft insulation last week and pretty much all brands/varieties are between R5 to R7 per inch, thats a big difference. ...and a 3 inch thickness roll covering 2.4m2 costs about 200bt I am not saying to use loft insulation , but its horses for courses, blocks are for walls, board insulation is was floors and ceilings, soft insulation is for lofts and cavities. If you really want to do it traditionally, I would go with a big damp proof membrane laid on your level sand bed, then use a 2 or 3 inch insulation board or polystyrene and then pour the concrete onto the insualtion. leave enough dpm at the edges to turn up and use as a dpc for your qcon blocks. Dont be worried about termites, the membrane should at least give them the elbow and you are preventing that very rare thing here...rising damp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimShortz Posted March 9, 2017 Author Share Posted March 9, 2017 Thank you for the advice eyecatcher. I had also been contemplating the AAC sponge issue... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGW Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Why not leave a air gap underneath? dig out then use concrete "floor planks" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juehoe Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Q-Con has also AAC floor plank in their product range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bankruatsteve Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Vapor barriers, yes. But insulating a slab? Interesting. What are you insulating it from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimShortz Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 Thanks for all of the input. Floor planks would work to leave a void, but won't really insulate the AC cooled slab from the heat beneath the house. AAC planks may be an excellent solution though. I wasn't aware there was such a thing. Thank you juehoe. ☺️ I guess it's that or a polystyrene layer if without planks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGW Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Depending on how serious you are to have insulated floor you could insulate under the planks as they were laid, either by attaching polystyrene or even spraying insulating foam, would get difficult on the last piece to be laid though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyecatcher Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 10 hours ago, juehoe said: Q-Con has also AAC floor plank in their product range. really! is it 1m deep by any chance? you need to handle that with kid gloves I reckon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyecatcher Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Did anyone ever use their aac lintels? To get compressive strength they would surely need rebar at the bottom already cast in. Is that the case OR can you trim them with a saw like the blocks the same will obviously apply to planks (if they exist) but in abundance , not the fabric mesh in the 50mm connie planks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bankruatsteve Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Back to the topic... I'm still curious why you think the ground under a slab will get hot and need insulation? 'splain it to me Lucy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now