Concrete slabs Melbourne floors are popular choices in basements and homes in colder climates, offering significant thermal mass for efficient heating in combination with passive design principles and other construction materials that reduce embodied energy consumption.
A slab may be constructed either in-situ or precast. Both methods may include reinforcement with rebar, which increases strength under tension.
Structural
Concrete slabs may not come to mind immediately when building a home, but they play an essential role. Concrete slabs act to strengthen walls, beams, columns and foundations in order to bear the load of supporting the structure’s load.
Builders can reinforce concrete slabs to increase their strength by adding steel bars or rods known as rebar. This helps compensate for the fact that concrete is strong in compression but weak in tension; additionally, adding rebar improves its ability to resist bending loads – an essential factor when considering structural integrity of buildings’ floors.
Insulating concrete slabs to combat heat loss requires care to avoid disrupting their structure or penetrating moisture sources, as this could compromise their thermal mass properties and compromise performance. Insulation that covers only parts of the slab could compromise this purpose and lessen its efficiency as an energy saver.
Durability
Concrete slab floors are extremely resilient. When properly sealed and maintained, a fully-sealed and maintained concrete floor can last a lifetime, providing a resilient base for flooring, furniture, appliances and other household items.
Concrete floors allow you to achieve an array of aesthetics, from rustic caliche slabs to the refined beauty of burnished concrete. Stains produced during mixing can create unique colours; dyes or liquid colorants mixed on-site can add more vibrant hues. Furthermore, surface finishes such as rougher textures that provide textural contrast may also be applied, as well as smoother and more polished surfaces.
Concrete has a high thermal mass that works effectively in most climates to provide comfort while decreasing energy use. For best results, expose concrete internally rather than cover it with finishes such as carpets or rugs for insulation purposes; alternatively void formers (inflated foam boxes) could also help insulate it effectively.
Insulation
Insulation on concrete slab floors is necessary to control temperature and cut energy costs. Without it, heat easily escapes through the concrete and affects room temperatures as well as building structure.
Insulation Superstore’s inventory of rigid foam board insulation from Jablite and Styrene manufacturers provides an ideal choice for concrete slab insulation. Offering long-term R-value and consistent thermal resistance while being produced in easy to manage sheets makes installation quick and straightforward.
Rockwool insulation for concrete slabs offers superior compressive strength to support heavy furniture and equipment weight, as well as exceptional fire resistance, making it safe to use in commercial settings.
Code requirements in climate zones 4 and 5 call for at least an R-10 vertical perimeter insulation of the slab separate from its foundation stem wall. Unfortunately, this detail can be tricky and many builders opt to only insulate it to about 2 in; this represents significant heat loss which should be avoided.
Maintenance
Concrete floor slabs are easy to keep looking their best with neutral cleaning products and offer resistance against damage, fire, and termite attack.
Insulating floor slab edges in colder climates is a good practice that will reduce heat escaping and increase energy efficiency of any home. Insulation should ideally be completed during renovations but it can be completed any time of year.
Compaction during placement and screeding is also vitally important to creating dense, strong concrete capable of withstanding shrinkage cracking, while at the same time helping prevent air entrapment and increase R-value.
Concrete floors should be kept dry and clean by placing mats at entryways to keep dirt outside the building, clearing spills as soon as they occur, using appropriate cleaners for grease, rust or dirt stains, as well as applying densifier coatings for maximum stain resistance.
