"Concrete"

Concrete / Discussions

Do ICFs have a reliable history for home construction?

...Concrete Forms construction a new thing or do they have a long history and do they meet code? We'd never heard of ICFs before and wondered if it was just an up-...

Posted by Les Poldark Dec. 6, 2021 Foundations and Basements 1 response

How do you keep concrete house walls from getting too hot in hot climates?

I live in the tropics and my west walls absorb too much heat, poor building design. I live in a condo and would like to put something on the walls inside to kee...

Posted by Florence A. Hawkins May 14, 2021 Passive solar home design 1 response

What thickness of insulation and concrete do you recommend in a floating slab?

...concrete, which seems too little base on what I have read. What do you recommend the thickness to be for the insulation and the concrete for the slab and radian...

Posted by Marc-Andre Roy April 21, 2021 Slab on Grade 3 responses

What is the best exterior rigid foam insulation for under a deck?

...concrete was left exposed with the sil plate. I'm thinking of taking Rigid board and installing it against the concrete wall and will plate to hopefully help w...

Posted by Andrew Cherubini March 21, 2021 Insulation and soundproofing 3 responses

Is there a concrete admixture to prevent water leaks?

...concrete wicking moisture' and 'water leaks'. Also wondering if perhaps this is a new construction or existing, as an 'admix' would be added to the concrete bef...

Posted by Frank Liu July 4, 2020 Waterproofing and drainage 2 responses

How do you insulate a cottage crawlspace? It's in the Haliburton Highlands

...concrete piers. The cottage crawlspace is uneven ranging from 30-36 inches. Exterior of crawlspace surrounded by pressure treated plywood skirting which has mul...

Posted by Beata Domanska May 25, 2020 Crawl spaces 1 response

How do you polish a concrete slab to be a finished interior concrete floor?

...concrete floor that looks nice. The concrete was poured 8 months ago, and we are noticing some divots. We live on a remote island with no specific concrete floo...

Posted by Betsy Lund May 20, 2020 Flooring and stairs 1 response

Which is the best basement insulation?

...concrete wall and 4' knee wall built with 2x6 and batt insulation r22. Should I run rigid insulation inside the foundation wall up the concrete and cover the kn...

Posted by Alex Kesheshian April 23, 2020 Basements 1 response

How do you apply vapor barrier and insulation to a CMU house?

...concrete foundations. They are not nearly as strong since it is only the mortar between blocks that holds them together, so freezing can cause problems. We’ve y...

Posted by Scott Brekke Nov. 22, 2019 Basements improvements 2 responses

Is it not structurally dangerous to smash a concrete floor for a drain?

...concrete foundation and insulate the floor? Isn't that dangerous? What happens if you break up the concrete foundation? Does it affect the integrity of the buil...

Posted by t b March 2, 2021 Waterproofing and drainage 2 responses

Any suggestions for improving insulation of a unique concrete building?

...concrete located in Nova Scotia. The walls are about 8" thick solid poured concrete on the ground floor, and 4" on the second floor. Both stories have had an ex...

Posted by Andrew Hurst Feb. 25, 2021 Wall assemblies - renovation 1 response

How do you insulate concrete basement walls and avoid mould?

...concrete. The short story, is that the best place to put vapor protection is right against the concrete, and if there is none at all, at least don’t put any vap...

Posted by William Hunter Feb. 22, 2021 Basements improvements 2 responses

What alternatives to Epoxy are there for sealing concrete floors?

...concrete floor sealer that is non-toxic and durable would be silicate densifier sealers, see more here – How to seal and polish concrete floors with non toxic ...

Posted by Kamatchi Kavi Feb. 21, 2021 Paints, finishes and natural coatings 4 responses

How do insulate a basement slab that is sloped ?

...concrete. As for finishing and insulating, yes, a vapour barrier at that point would be necessary as there would not have been one with the initial construction...

Posted by Louis-François Lapointe Nov. 11, 2020 Basements improvements 1 response

What is the best way to insulate a Multi-material wall?

...concrete walls+concrete blocks+bricks, all part of the same wall assembly? As the bricks that sit atop the concrete walls are uneven (along the grout and brick ...

Posted by Steve J Sept. 29, 2020 Wall assemblies - renovation 7 responses

Is sealing basement concrete floor against radon a good idea?

Now that I have removed everything from my basement, I have this nice pristine unfinished concrete floor and walls. I have heard of a product called radon block...

Posted by Tim Hanrahan Sept. 18, 2020 Radon in Homes - Mitigation 3 responses

Do you have recommendations for radon sealing basement concrete & installing new flooring?

...concrete slab for new flooring with regards to both radon mitigation and the material health - low VOCs. The basement is from a 2012 build -- the slab is 4” co...

Posted by M N Sept. 1, 2020 Basements improvements 1 response

What is the best way to finish a concrete floor?

...concrete has sufficiently dried or if the concrete is not well-sealed from the ground it will absorb moisture over time and possibly cause problems, meaning the...

Posted by Steven P. Aug. 17, 2017 Flooring and stairs 1 response