For information about performance durability and environmental properties of each material see our insulation materials factsheet pdf and the materials section of this site.
Timber frame floor insulation.
Within the external wall cavity or internally on the warm side of the studwork.
All ground floor constructions unless very large commercial floors will require some insulation to be included within the floor zone to comply with building regulation requirements.
Using a 140mm timber stud selected for frame rigidity with 60mm pir insulation between the studs and 60mm pir as an insulation wrap around the outside you can attain a u value of 0 16 w m2k.
If you ve got a suspended timber floor which is not insulated it can contribute to as much as 20 of heat loss during winter.
However the reduced mass of the wall means that insulation materials need to provide a higher level of acoustic performance to compensate.
Insulating concrete slab floors.
Timber frame walls generally provide better levels of thermal insulation performance than masonry walls of comparable thickness.
A polished timber floor looks warm and inviting but looks can be deceiving.
If the ground floor in question is of a suspended timber construction and whether this is a renovation or new build project then the insulation would normally be installed in the joist zone that is installed between the joists.
Timber frame systems come with a layer of oriented strand board or plywood fixed to the external face of the studs along with a breather membrane.
Concrete slab floors are typically insulated with polystyrene board.
Insulation should not be installed until the structural timber frame is below 20 moisture content and the building is weather tight as wet insulation can retain moisture.
The insulation boards should be restrained in accordance with the timber frame manufacturer s guidance.
Here two layers of rigid kingspan thermawall insulation are separated by breathable membrane and osb plywood sheathing.
In a timber framed wall insulation is typically installed between the studs this insulation can be pir or glass mineral wool gmw.
Depending on u value requirements there may be additional insulation required this might be placed outside the sheathing board i e.
Timber frame floors are typically insulated with polystyrene boards or sheet insulation made from glasswool fibreglass wool polyester wool polyester mix and mineral wool.
If closed panel timber frame is specified additional care must be taken to protect the panels from exposure to moisture during construction with moisture content checks carried out before full closure.
Bradford optimo is the ultimate in underfloor insulation for suspended timber floors keeping homes warmer and reducing energy costs through winter.
Most australian homes have ceiling insulation and new homes now also include wall insulation which is installed at the time of construction.
A second continuous layer of insulation can then be fitted externally of the breather membrane.
