Slushed perlite floor
To prepare this type of floor you will need to mix grade Ì-100 perlite, grade Ì-400 cement and water. When the mixture is ready you have to pour it in a layer of 5 to 30 cm on the surface of the floor. If you underpour the floor in the ceiling we recommend you to lay first a damp-proof layer (hydrosol).
Three-layer concrete floor with perlite warmth-keeping jacket
Such floors are composed of two concrete layers with a perlite warmth-keeping jacket between them. It is not by chance that the latter was chosen as a heat insulator: in fact perlite is super light, ecologically clean material with an extremely low thermal conductivity.
So, to prepare the perlite heat insulator you will need to put together perlite, cement and water and then mix them thoroughly so that the resulting mixture attains "plasticity". The mix should be laid in a layer several centimetres thick on the concrete. Over the week the heat insulator will dry up, after which it has to be coffered by concrete or ceramic tile. Correspondingly, to insulate the floor you will be better off picking perlite with high hydrophobic and dust suction properties.
You can lay such floors not only at homes but also when assembling saunas.
“Floating floor”
If per chance you have selected the electrically heated floor as an insulation for your home the so-called “floating floor” will be by far better option. Such floors are able to offset thermal deformation of concrete floors caused by their warming and cooling and therefore represent an optimal solution.
As you might know when heated objects start extending. Similarly, when the concrete floor undergoes constant heating and cooling cycles the generated pressure might result in cracks and splits spreading through the floor. To counter this effect, you will need to take advantage of the "compensator" principle, that is: pour perlite on the old concrete floor, slabs or the so-called “black” floor that does not require levelling. If the concrete layer is more than 10 cm thick the perlite will have to be packed. After this, around the periphery of the room where you install the heat insulated floor you will need to put wood particle boards. Particular attention should be paid to the height of wood particle boards that ought to coincide with the height of the concrete floor. After that you should put the thermal cord on Perlite and pour concrete throughout the surface. 3 to 7 days afterwards as the concrete gets dry you need to remove wood particle boards from spaces between the wall and the floor.
Cast-in-place floor with perlite
Perlite is also used to insulate cast-in-place hard floors. To this effect, you need to spill perlite on the base and spread around with levelling laths so that the thickness of perlite sand surpass the thickness you need by 20% (the minimum layer thickness is 1 cm). If you need to place pipes or other unsmooth components in the floor do not worry: they are easily seated in this friable heat-insulating material. After this all surface has to be covered by plates, on top of which the cast-in-place floor is poured.
If such floor is assembled in the room that is located not in the cellar it is recommended to use draining pipes to collect and run off accumulated moisture and to put underneath it the absorbing protective liming, for example kraft paper (not film).
If you have to deal with the wooden floor you will have to put Circulite on top of it without packing. Taking into account the flame-retardant properties of the fire safety of the room in which it is used is considerably augmented.
If in the course of works you need to reduce dust content and insulate the perlite’s upper layer, it can be strewn with cement and then slightly softened with water. The other way of insulating the perlite layer is to cover it with diffusely open materials such as corrugated board, craft paper, wood particle boards etc.
If in the course of works you need to reduce dust content and insulate the perlite’s upper layer, it can be strewn with cement and then slightly softened with water. The other way of insulating the perlite layer is to cover it with diffusely open materials such as corrugated board, craft paper, wood particle boards etc. To increase the bearing capacity of loose heat-insulating material the perlite pellets can be treated with wax. Such sealed perlite will constitute a solid insulating layer for the dry jointless floor.
