Insulating Floors With Styrofoam
Insulating Floors With Styrofoam
Insulating Floors With Styrofoam
L68151:P7111 F841:X722
CI/SfB
(27) Rn7 (M2)
May 2006
This section describes the thermal insulation of floors using By including in the floor construction a layer of thermal
STYROFOAM™ extruded polystyrene insulation from Dow. insulation continuous with that in the rest of the building
It covers the principles, design considerations and envelope, heat loss is reduced and thermal bridges at the
installation methods for groundbearing and suspended junction of the floors and walls are avoided. However,
floors in new build and renovation projects. thermal insulation incorporated in a floor must not
compromise any of the functional requirements.
STYROFOAM Solutions
Agrément Certificate 92/2782 covers the use of
The STYROFOAM Solution for insulating
FLOORMATE 200-X, STYROFOAM SP-X and FLOORMATE
groundbearing and suspended floors in new build and
500-X in groundbearing floors.
renovation is FLOORMATE™ which includes the
products: FLOORMATE 200-X, STYROFOAM SP-X,
FLOORMATE 500-X and FLOORMATE 700-A. ➀
➁
➂
➃
Insulating floors ➄
Floors are classified as:
➅
››› ground floors, in contact directly, or indirectly with
➆
ground.
››› exposed floors, forming lowest part of structure over ➀ screed with light mesh ➃ damp proof
reinforcement membrane (DPM)
un-enclosed airspace (e.g. balcony).
➁ vapour control layer ➄ concrete slab
››› semi-exposed floors, lowest part of a structure over an (VCL) ➅ hardcore with sand
enclosed but unheated space (e.g. a floor over a ➂ FLOORMATE blinding
➆ ground
garage).
››› intermediate floors, having heated space above and Figure 28 >> Groundbearing floor slab
below.
with it, with high soil moisture content increasing the rate
of loss. Those effects, when combined with the natural
temperature gradient in buildings, can lead to ➀ board or screed finish ➂ FLOORMATE
➁ VCL/slip sheet (SS) 500 ➃ beam and block floor
uncomfortable internal environments, condensation at gauge polyethylene with levelling topping
wall/floor junctions and higher than predicted energy
Figure 29 >> Suspended beam and block floor
usage. Exposed and semi-exposed floors, suffer heat loss to
air, in the same wayother building elements.
®™* Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("DOW") or an affiliated company of Dow
STYROFOAM Solutions 35
Insulating floors: basic principles
Buildings which are to be intermittently heated are usually In self-contained dwellings FLOORMATE ™insulation can
designed with ‘fast response’ fabric with the thermal support the design load when:
insulation on the inside of the structure. Heating systems ››› sited above a groundbearing slab and covered with
which utilise the structure as a heat store require the suitable plywood, chipboard or screed.
thermal insulation to encompass as much of the structure ››› sited below a groundbearing slab and receiving the
as possible. dead load of the slab and the loading transferred
The design of foundations and groundbearing floors is through the slab.
influenced by the site on which the building is to be ››› laid on timber decking and covered with suitable
constructed. The load bearing capacity of the soil should plywood or chipboard.
be established before design work is undertaken.
Load bearing internal partitions must be built off the
Whilst a groundbearing floor is usually an effective
structural floor not the FLOORMATE insulation boards.
construction for domestic and commercial buildings,
Internal masonry walls must have their own foundations.
a ground floor should be suspended in the following
circumstances: For buildings other than dwellings the correct grade of
FLOORMATE insulation should be selected on the basis of
››› domestic buildings on sloping sites where more than
an assessment of the loading by a structural engineer.
600mm depth of infill would be required.
››› where the bearing capacity and nature of the ground The maximum acceptable load on FLOORMATE insulation
varies from one part to another. products is the design load together with a suitable safety
››› where the ground is of shrinkable clay, expansive factor. (The “design load” is that load on the insulation
material or other unstable soil type. which will give a maximum compression of 2% after 50
years)
The site should be assessed for hazards likely to affect In the unlikely event of floor loadings being too high for an
substructure and groundbearing floors such as chemicals available grade of FLOORMATE board the material may be
(particularly sulphates), contaminated material above or in used as vertical edge insulation, which is not subject to
the ground and waterlogged ground. In some parts of the loadings from the floor slab.
UK special precautions are necessary to reduce the entry of
radon gas, details of those geographical areas may be
obtained from the Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
36
Insulating floors: basic principles
Thermal performance
Table 15 gives the thicknesses of FLOORMATE 200–X
required to achieve a range of U-values for ground floors.
P/A 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70 0.80 0.90 1.00
U-values
0.25 - 30 50 60 70 80 80 80 90 90
No insulation 0.21 0.36 0.48 0.58 0.67 0.75 0.82 0.89 0.95 1.00
65mm Screed
65mm Screed; block 100 x 440mm, (0.51 W/mK); beam 60mm, (1.13 W/mK)
STYROFOAM Solutions 37
Insulating groundbearing floors: design
General description ➀
➁
In a groundbearing floor the ground is used to support the ➂
➃
floor slab for the life of the building. The floor slab is
formed: ➄
built off separate foundations. ➀ floor finish e.g. carpet ➄ concrete slab
➁ timber board ➅ Damp proof
››› as a reinforced concrete raft combining both
➂ Vapour control layer membrane (DPM)
foundation and floor. (VCL)/Slip sheet (SS) ➆ hardcore with sand
➃ FLOORMATE blinding
➅
Refer to Page 08 for the full physical and performance ➀ floor finish e.g. carpet ➃ DPM
properties of FLOORMATE products. ➁ screed ➄ FLOORMATE
➂ concrete slab ➅ hardcore with sand
incorporating heating blinding
elements
38
Insulating groundbearing floors: design
Screeds
Screeds must neither breakdown nor permit indentation of
the floor finish.
Curing/drying
Concrete slabs
Sufficient time should be allowed for the curing and drying
Concrete slabs should be at least 100mm thick; the need
out of concrete slabs and screeds. Guidance is given in
for increased thickness and for reinforcement should be
BRE publication: ‘Floors and Flooring’ (Table1.3) and
assessed in accordance with BS 8110: Pt 1. Movement
BS 8203.
joints in the slab should be aligned with movement joints
in other elements in the structure. A slip sheet (SS) (which
may be the DPM) must be incorporated between poured
concrete and FLOORMATE insulation.
STYROFOAM Solutions 39
Insulating groundbearing floors: design
Thermal bridging
To avoid a thermal bridge at the wall/ floor junction
continue wall insulation down to the bottom of the ➀
Moisture
Building Regulation C2 (Standard 3.4 in Scotland) requires
floors to resist the passage of ground moisture into the
➀
building. Moisture can reach the interior of the building as ➁
➂
either ground water rising through porous construction
➆ ➃
elements or construction water from concrete slabs or
➄
screeds. Specific guidance is given in Approved
document C (Technical Handbook section 3.4 - Scotland).
➅
A DPM placed above the slab and linked to the damp
➀ floor finish ➄ concrete slab
proof course (DPC) will exclude ground moisture and ➁ VCL/SS ➅ hardcore with sand
protect the finish against construction moisture. The ➂ FLOORMATE blinding
➃ DPM ➆ DPC
vapour control layer (VCL) must be positioned on the
warm side of the insulation. Figure 36 >> FLOORMATE boards above slab junction with
STYROFOAM
➀ threshold ➃ DPM
➁ DPC ➄ FLOORMATE
➂ concrete slab ➅ hardcore with sand
blinding
40
Insulating groundbearing floors: design
STYROFOAM Solutions 41
Insulating groundbearing floors: design
Allow a gap of 10mm or 2mm per linear metre of flooring Compressive strength†: 200kN/m2, 350kN/m2,
(whichever is the greater) between the chipboard and the 500kN/m2, 700kN/m2
perimeter wall. Proprietary expansion joints may be Design loading† : 60kN/m2, 110kN/m2, 150kN/m2,
the joints should allow for 2mm expansion per metre of Fire classification: Reaction to fire: BS EN 13164 -
42
Insulating groundbearing floors: design
FLOORMATE 500-X; FLOORMATE 700-A ››› Manufacturer and reference: (as E20)
››› lay insulation with tight butt joints and continue up at Fire classification: (as E20)
››› lay separating layer of 500 gauge polyethylene sheet, ››› Flooring: particleboard to BS EN 312, Type P5
Insulation below screed may also be specified with clause Fit boards together tightly with end joints staggered.
STYROFOAM Solutions 43
Insulating groundbearing floors: installation
Key points
››› avoid point loading (eg wheelbarrows and foot traffic)
of FLOORMATE thermal insulation during installation;
provide scaffold boards or similar.
››› protect FLOORMATE boards and DPM while concreting
Figure 41 >> Floormate under screed or screeding.
››› lay insulation over whole floor leaving no gaps.
››› stagger board joints when laying insulation in two or
more layers.
››› use temporary timber battens over perimeter walls to
protect edge insulation (if present).
››› tape joints in DPM and lap with wall DPC. Ensure DPM
is correctly positioned and continuous with DPC.
››› ensure all damp proof membranes and slip sheets are
installed and turned up correctly.
››› ensure reinforcement and installation procedures for
screeds are carried out in accordance with the
General considerations
Suspended floors are supported on the walls and can be
➀
formed from: ➄ ➁
STYROFOAM Solutions 45
Insulating suspended floors: design
46
Insulating suspended floors: design
➂
The following NBS clauses are relevant to the specification
of FLOORMATE insulation:
P10 Sundry insulation
FLOORMATE 200-X
Board size: 2500mm x 600mm
Edge profile: butt edge
Compressive strength: 200kN/m2
➃ Design loading: 60kN/m2
Fire classification:
Reaction to fire: BS EN 13164 - Euroclass E
➀ STYROFOAM LB - X ➂ FLOORMATE
/plasterboard laminate ➃ DPC/tray
➁ VCL/SS ››› Supports: saddle clips†† / nails†† / preservative treated
Figure 49 >> Exposed wall/floor junction, lightweight blockwork battens††
inner leaf
››› Fit tightly with closely butted joints, leaving no gaps
Services
† select appropriate values using STYROFOAM Solutions
Central heating pipes are often run in the void below
Product Data
suspended timber floors or within the joist depth.
†† delete as appropriate
When FLOORMATE boards are incorporated in the
construction, it is best to locate the pipework above the
insulation to minimise heat loss into the cold void (figure Insulation laid on boarding may also be specified with:
50). The pipes should be insulated to concentrate heat K11 - 115/125/135/145/215/235/245, K20 - 150/160,
output at the radiators. K21 - 120/130
STYROFOAM Solutions 47
Insulating suspended floors: installation
Installation sequence
Beam and block and precast floors
(figures 45 and 45)
1. Lay topping to provide necessary level surface.
2. Lay FLOORMATE boards with edges tightly butted.
3. Overlay with slip sheet with edges lapped.
4. Lay board or screed finish (allow to cure for at least
7 days).
Key points
Beam and block and precast floors
››› refer to Key Points under Insulating groundbearing
floors: installation.
Timber floors
››› fit FLOORMATE boards tight to the underside of the
floor to avoid air movement between the FLOORMATE
boards and the floor.
››› pack FLOORMATE insulation into any spaces at the
perimeter.
››› at penetrations cut boards around the pipe or duct
and seal the gap with polyurethane foam.
Figure 51 >> FLOORMATE boards between joists ››› ensure underfloor ventilation is clear and not
restricted at sleeper walls.
48
Insulating floors: renovating floors
Timber ground floors in pre-war properties often suffer ››› fill deep sub-floor voids with hard core or a suitable
from rot and insect infestation while the underfloor void non-settling fill to a maximum depth of 600mm.
can be a habitat for rodents. Such floors may be replaced ››› if the DPM cannot be tied into the DPC, it should be
by a groundbearing concrete floor incorporating thermal dressed up behind a skirting.
insulation (see figure 52). ››› block off ventilation openings.
Overlaying existing timber floors FLOORMATE extruded polystyrene can also be used to
When upgrading an existing timber floor the skirting provide floor insulation in conversions, for example when
should be removed and the appropriate grade of converting an agricultural building to domestic use.
FLOORMATE laid. The flooring and finish is then laid on it. Old concrete, stone or earth floors should be removed
The skirting will then be reinstalled or replaced and doors down to a level suitable to accept the new insulated floor.
shortened to open over the new level. Site assessment and preparation in refurbishment projects
should follow the same procedures as for new-build.
Figure 52 >> Replacement of decaying timber floor with a new insulated concrete floor
STYROFOAM Solutions 49
References
Agrément certificates ››› BS 743:1970: Specification for Materials for Damp proof
››› 87/1836 Pitched roofs - warm roof concept courses.
››› 88/2105 Cavity walls ››› BS 1202: Specification for nails.
››› 92/2782 Floors Part 1: 2002: Steel nails.
››› 97/3431 Inverted roofs ››› BS 5250: 2002: Code of practice for control of
condensation in buildings.
Building Regulations
››› BS 5427: Code of practice for the use of profiled sheet
››› Approved Documents to the Building Regulations
for roof and wall cladding on buildings.
– A Structure
Part 1: 1996: Design.
– B Fire safety
››› BS 5950: Structural use of steelwork in building.
– C Site preparation and resistance to moisture
Part 4: 1994 Code of practice for design of composite
– E Resistance to the passage of sound
slabs with profiled steel sheeting.
– L1A Conservation of fuel and power in new
››› BS 5268: Structural use of timber.
dwellings
Part 4: Fire resistance of timber structures.
– L1B Conservation of fuel and power in existing
– Section 4.2: 1990: Recommendations for calculating
dwellings
fire resistance of timber stud walls and joisted floor
– L2A Conservation of fuel and power in new
constructions.
buildings other than dwellings
Part 7: Recommendations for the calculation basis for
– L2B Conservation of fuel and power in existing
span tables.
buildings other than dwellings
– Section 7.1: 1989: Domestic floor joists.
››› Technical Handbooks to Building Standards Scotland
››› BS 5502: Buildings and structures for agriculture.
Regulations
Part 23: 1990: Code of practice for fire precautions.
BRE publications Part 42: 1990: Code of practice for design and
››› Thermal insulation: avoiding risks BR 262:2002. construction of pig buildings.
››› Conventions for U-value calculations Part 71: 1992: Code of practice for design and
– B. Anderson BR443: 2006 construction of ventilated stores for potatoes and
››› Building Elements: ‘Floors and Flooring’ – PW Pye and onions.
HW Harris BR 332: 1997 ››› BS 5534: 2003: Code of practice for slating and tiling.
››› Foundations, basements and external walls BR 440: ››› BS 5628: Code of practice for use of masonry.
2002. Part 3: 1985: Materials and components, design and
››› BRE Digest 311. Wind scour of gravel ballast on roofs. workmanship.
››› BRE IP 17/01. Assessing the effects of thermal bridging ››› BS 6203: 1991 (1996) Guide to fire characteristics and
at junctions and around openings in the external fire performance of expanded polystyrene materials
elements of buildings. used in building applications.
››› BS 6229: 2003: Code of practice for flat roofs with
British Standards continuously supported coverings.
››› BS 743: 1970: Specification for materials for damp ››› BS 6398: 1983: Specification for bitumen damp proof
proof courses. courses for masonry.
››› BS 476: Fire tests on building materials and structures. ››› BS 6399: Loading for Buildings
Part 2: 1987. Methods for determination of the fire Part 1: 1996: Code of practice for dead and imposed
resistance of loadbearing elements of construction. loads.
Part 3: 1958: External fire exposure roof test Part 2: 1997: Code of practice for wind loads.
Part 3: 1988: Code of practice for imposed roof loads.
62
References
STYROFOAM Solutions 63
List of stockists: Uk and Ireland
03 Bellshill 10 Birmingham
Sheffield Insulations Limited, Sheffield Insulations Limited, 17 Bristol
Righead Industrial Estate, Apollo Park, Rounds Green Road, Sheffield Insulations Limited,
Bellshill, Lanarkshire ML4 3NA Óldbury, Birmingham B69 2DF Riverside Business Park,
St Anne’s Road, Bristol BS4 4ED
Tel: (01698) 575 700 Tel: (0121) 655 3050
Fax: (01698) 575 701 Fax: (0121) 665 3075 Tel: (0117) 977 7077
Fax: (0117) 972 1172
12 Coventry
05 Newcastle Warren Insulation plc, 19 Plymouth
Sheffield Insulations Limited,
Unit 2A, Longford Industrial Estate, Sheffield Insulations Limited,
Sanderson Street,
Bedworth Road, Coventry CV6 6BP 87 St Mowden Road
off Scotswood Road,
Parkway Industrial Estate
Newcastle Upon Tyne NE4 7LW Tel: (024) 7664 4373
Marsh Mills Plymouth
Fax: (024) 7664 4588
Tel: (0191) 226 3110 Devon PL6 8LH
Fax: (0191) 226 3111
Tel: (01752) 675 400
13 Loughborough Fax: (01752) 675 419
Sheffield Insulations Limited,
06 Sheffield Kernan Drive, Swingbridge Ind. Est,
Sheffield Insulations Limited, South East
Loughborough LE11 5JF
Nunnery Drive, Sheffield S2 1TA
Tel: (01509) 231 891
Tel: (0114) 241 3000 20 Barking
Fax: (01509) 232 869
Fax: (0114) 241 3001 Sheffield Insulations Limited,
Unit 1, New England Estate,
East Gascoigne Road, Barking,
North West Essex IG11 7NZ
07 Burscough 14 Bedford Tel: (020) 8477 9500
Sheffield Insulations Limited, Sheffield Insulations Limited, Fax: (020) 8477 9501
Tollgate Road, Burscough, Telford Way
Lancashire L40 8LD Bedford MK42 0PQ
Tel: (01704) 898 800 Tel: (01234) 761 100
Fax: (01704) 898 801 Fax: (01234) 272 157
64
21 Colchester Northern Ireland Republic of Ireland
Warren Insulation plc,
Unit 3, 228 London Road, Marks Tey,
Colchester, Essex CO6 1EN
27 County Tyrone 29 Dublin
Insulation Distributors Limited, Corcoran Products Limited,
Tel: (01206) 214 600 49 Gortin Road, Kingsbridge House,
Fax: (01206) 214 610 Co. Tyrone BT79 7HX 17-22 Parkgate Street,
Dublin 8
Tel: (028) 8224 6220
22 Colnbrook Fax: (028) 8224 7220 Tel: 00 353 1677 8163
Warren Insulation plc, Fax: 00 353 1679 3521
Blackthorn Road, Poyle Trading Estate,
Colnbrook, Slough SL3 0DU
28 Belfast
Charles Tennant and Co (NI) Ltd, 30 Dublin
Tel: (01753) 685 131 46 Ravenshill Road, Insulation Distribution Limited,
Fax: (01753) 681 623 Belfast Unit 15, Park West Industrial Park,
BT6 8EB Nangor Road, Dublin 12
South
24 Southampton
Sheffield Insulations Limited,
Unit 11, Oriana Way,
Nursling Industrial Estate,
Nursling, Southampton SO16 0YU
Tel: (023) 8074 0074
Fax: (023) 8074 0122
25 Southampton
Solent Insulation Supplies,
Central Trading Estate,
Marine Parade,
Southampton SO14 5JP
Tel: (023) 8063 8796
Fax: (023) 8063 1886
26 Tonbridge
Sheffield Insulations Limited,
303 Vale Road, Tonbridge,
Kent TN9 1TZ
Tel: (01732) 370 500
Fax: (01732) 370 530
STYROFOAM Solutions 65
Recommendations
66
Notes
STYROFOAM Solutions 67
Dow Chemical Company Limited
Building Solutions
2 Heathrow Boulevard, 284 Bath Road
West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 0DQ
Internet: www.styrofoameurope.com