Insulated Floating Slab Foundation

In cold climates most slab on grade foundations include perimeter stemwalls or frost walls that extend 3 ft.

Insulated floating slab foundation. Insulated floating subfloor over slabless slab. Insulation of slab on grade foundation using. Using conventional readily available materials fpsf is an alternative to stem wall and floating slab foundations however it is most suitable for slab on grade homes on sites with moderate to low sloping grades. Frost protected shallow foundation design can be used effectively with walk out basements by insulating the foundation on the house s downhill side eliminating the need for a stepped footing.

As a percentage of heat loss the floor went way down compared to the un insulated slab house. A floating slab is the basic foundation structure used for buildings that do not have basements garages sheds barns and even some homes in high water table or coastal areas. This provides a continuous layer of insulation separating the concrete from the ground. Concrete floating slabs can and in areas that experience freezing temperatures should be insulated.

This is for a house with an r 11 insulated slab. The area between the stemwalls is usually filled with compacted gravel to support the slab. So let s look at the mechanics of actually insulated the slab. Because they are easier to insulate slab foundations with stemwalls are preferable to monolithic slabs.

Watch this animation for the proper procedure to insulate a monolithic slab.