Insulated Timber Floor Construction
Explore our designs for a look at how we integrate hand crafted timbers with structural insulated panels sips to air seal and insulate your walls and roof.
Insulated timber floor construction. Fiber insulation is like putting an extra layer of clothing under a floor. If you want to insulate a floor assembly by leaving the joist bays empty and installing rigid foam on the underside of the joists here are a few things to keep in mind. According to the 2012 irc the minimum r value for floor assemblies is r 13 in zones 1 and 2 r 19 in zones 3 and 4 r 30 in zones 5 and 6 and r 38 in zones 7 and 9. Polyester and fiberglass are the cheapest.
A suspended timber floor tends to be cold and draughty because of the air circulating beneath it. Installing any amount of insulation will warm the floorboards and go a long way towards eliminating draughts. This insulation is placed between the floor joists. The effect is a greater sense of comfort and that in turn allows the homeowner to turn the thermostat down.
Since 1990 when a modern timber floor is constructed insulation is required by the building regulations. If the insulation is soft insulation it can be suspended on netting fixed between the joists whereas rigid insulation can be sat on battens nailed to the side of the joists. When it comes to the energy performance of timber frame and masonry building systems there are some key design differences between the two. Unless you are thinking about solid wall construction the fundamental distinction between masonry and timber frame is the non negotiable need to preserve a cavity between the inner timber structural panel and outer.