At Oxcrete, one of the most common questions we get asked when it comes to new concrete floors is just how do you insulate it? Even though the aesthetic nature of a concrete floor is incredibly pleasing to the eye, concrete can be cold underfoot!
There are a couple of ways in which you can lay insulation on your concrete floor – Above and below! Above is certainly the easiest to undertake once the concrete floor has already been laid, and this method can also help to warm the room up more quickly, however in the same vein, this also means it cools down very quickly too.
What you will be looking to do is lay a floating floor. This floating floor is where you lay boards on top of the solid concrete floor to allow for the insulation needed to keep the room from losing heat so quickly through the floors.
There are many benefits to insulating your concrete floor. Some of the pros include:
- It’s easy to install
- It warms the room up very quickly
- Enables you to level floors – if for whatever reason the concrete floor isn’t level, you now have a way to help fix this
At Oxfordshire Concrete, we have put together some tips for you on how to insulate a floor over concrete. Take a look below at the popular DIY method now:
Install a damp proof membrane
One of the best things you can do is install a damp-proof membrane between the concrete floor and the insulation itself. This is because if the insulation becomes a little damp, their insulating properties may not be as effective! This in turn can cause a heap of issues down the line, which could cause additional damage to your home, such as dampness.
Then lay the insulation
Once the damp-proof membrane has been installed, we would then recommend laying the insulation at this point.
Then lay moisture-resistant chipboard
Once the insulation is down, it’s time to add the moisture-resistant chipboard. We would recommend using tongue-and-groove chipboard. In addition, it’s important to note that you may need to leave an expansion gap of around 10mm between the chipboard and the walls of the room. Using the appropriate glue on the tongue and grooves of the chipboard, you should be able to lay this on top of the insulation.
Oxcrete
If you work in construction and are interested in finding out about our other services, we also offer a Ready Mix concrete service and skip/grab hire. Visit our website to find out more or give us a call today to speak to a member of our friendly team on 01865 655662 or fill out a contact form below.