Insulated Floating Slab Foundation

Insulation of slab on grade foundation using.

Insulated floating slab foundation.

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. Because they are easier to insulate slab foundations with stemwalls are preferable to monolithic slabs. 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. 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. The result is a very comfortable and energy efficient basement with no thermal bridging and reduced risk of mold. This provides a continuous layer of insulation separating the concrete from the ground.

So let s look at the mechanics of actually insulated the slab. Watch this animation for the proper procedure to insulate a monolithic slab. 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. In cold climates most slab on grade foundations include perimeter stemwalls or frost walls that extend 3 ft.

Alternatively a basement can be constructed by beginning with an insulated raft slab followed by an icf foundation wall.