R-Value Concrete Structures Newsletter
Exposed Concrete Floors
 
The ideas circulating about building green and creating sustainable environments are reaching the masses. Did you ever consider that some of these benefits found naturally in concrete floors might be the tipping point for your potential customers? You need to know these top five reasons to go green with concrete, and make sure to share with your clients the green attributes that interior concrete floors offer.
  1. Design versatility. Typically, interior concrete floor slabs have been hidden under other flooring materials such as carpet, hardwood, vinyl or ceramic tile. But why waste resources and money to add another layer of flooring when you can simply leave the concrete exposed? Decorative techniques such as coloring, staining, stamping, stenciling and polishing give unlimited design versatility, allowing you to create floors that mimic more traditional materials, such as tile or slate, or custom design a look that's totally unique (read more about decorative concrete flooring options).
  2. Energy efficiency.
    Because of their thermal mass and ability to retain heat, concrete floors are ideal for passive solar home designs. When homes are built to take advantage of solar radiation entering through windows in the winter months, concrete floors will absorb the heat from the direct sunlight and release the stored heat as needed at night to keep rooms warmer. Conversely in the summer and in hot climates, concrete floors shielded from the sun will stay cool longer and can actually help lower air-conditioning costs.
  3. Easier breathing. 
    Concrete floors are a healthier alternative to wall-to-wall carpeting, especially for people with allergies or a sensitivity to chemicals. In fact, when it comes to poor indoor air quality, carpeting can be one of the worst offenders.
  4. Economy.
    An exposed concrete floor is often an economical alternative to other finish solutions such as hardwood flooring and tile. For new residential construction or commercial projects with site-cast concrete floor slabs, choosing to leave the concrete floors exposed can save big money over the life of the building. First, you don't have to buy and install an additional floor covering to put on top of the floor slab. In addition, the durability and low maintenance needs of concrete flooring will save you the recurring maintenance and replacement costs associated with less-enduring flooring materials, such as carpet and vinyl tile.
  5. Durability and resource conservation.
    When properly installed and sealed (see Sealing Colored Concrete), a decorative concrete floor should last a lifetime and will never need replacement. Few flooring materials can boast this same longevity. Another way concrete floors minimize waste: The fresh concrete that goes into a floor slab is manufactured at a local ready-mix plant in the quantities needed for each project. This also saves on the energy required to transport a factory-made product such as tile or carpet from the plant, to the distributor and eventually to your home.
This information was adapted from The Concrete Network's article Going Green with Concrete Floors. Print out this reference online and use it as a free resource to give your potential clients.
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Most people are 'floored' when they see a decorative concrete floor, but they also tend to be skeptical about the practicality of concrete flooring. Many homeowners will ask: Beyond its aesthetic attributes, is concrete really a flooring material I can live with for the long term?

Like any flooring material, concrete does have some inherent drawbacks. However, many of them are easy to overcome, and in the end, the positives of concrete flooring far outweigh the negatives. To help you evaluate whether concrete floors are a good fit for your lifestyle and aesthetic tastes, we address six common questions, starting with "Are concrete floors cold and damp?"


The truth: Yes, concrete can be cold, but no more so than ceramic tile or natural stone flooring. And yes, concrete floors can transmit moisture vapor if they aren't insulated properly or if the slab is built on a poorly drained subbase.

The reality:
  • Concrete doesn't have to be cold. Its thermal properties give it the ability to store and radiate heat. By embedding radiant heating cables in concrete floors, for example, you can keep floors toasty warm in the winter and you can control the temperature level.

  • In properly constructed newer homes, today's building codes typically require installation of a vapor barrier under concrete slabs to block moisture migration and that feeling of dampness (see Choosing a Vapor Barrier).

  • If the home is built to take advantage of solar radiation entering through windows, concrete floors will absorb the heat from the sun to keep rooms warmer in the winter.



  • In summer and in hot climates, a cooler floor can be an advantage and can actually help lower air-conditioning costs.

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How can you give your clients concrete slabs for their main and second levels? Read on.

Besides the obvious lower level concrete floors, main level concrete floors are the simplest to execute. Perhaps the first thing to consider is the weight of the slab, and what is required to hold it. When using poured walls with stick framing for daylight and walkout areas, additional studs may be necessary to carry the load. See your lumberyard. The disadvantage to this is the increased thermal bridging, and less space for insulation. ICF's handily solve that problem.

Next to consider is whether the slab will be supported by a traditional wood joist floor, by steel framing, or a structural, self-supporting slab. R-Value has experience with all three, and each has their distinct advantage. We typically provide the design for the slabs. Give us a call to discuss this further.

Using a concrete floor for the second level of the home can get tricky, because of the increased weight the stud walls have to bear. The only way I would recommend doing this would be to integrate steel framing within the stud walls, or ICF main level walls. Hey, if you like the benefits concrete flooring has to offer, you will love what ICF walls will give you! ICF walls can safely carry over 100,000 lbs per lineal foot with no special design work, although there would be some pretty gigantic footings for a load that large!

If you know anyone that is thinking of building, or who could benefit from reading this; please pass it along.
Jake Vierzen
R-Value Concrete Structures

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