Under Concrete Floors
Our Concrete Barrier can serve three purposes underneath concrete: replacing 2″ foam board as a radiant heat insulation, a vapor barrier and a radon barrier.
Concrete Barrier in a basement application.
Most homes have 2 inch R-10 foam boards under the concrete. Concrete Barrier can take the place of foam board, but it’s only 1/4″ thick. It’s easier to work with, it costs less per square foot, it’s easier to ship, it replaces a vapor barrier, and best of all, it doesn’t make that awful squeaking noise when you cut it. As a result, Concrete Barrier is an excellent alternative to traditional 4×8 sheets of foam insulation. Concrete Barrier can also be used in radiant floor heating systems installed underneath concrete.
Installing rFoil Concrete Barrier
Most newer homes will also have clear plastic sheets under the concrete to prevent moisture from creeping up into the concrete. While this may not be a serious problem in most homes, radon can be. Radon is a poison gas that results from the decay of uranium in the soil, which is found in nearly everywhere in the United States.
Radon can be blocked with clear plastic sheets, which is often used in conjunction with foam insulation. However, a better method is to replace both the foam insulation and clear plastic sheets with a single application of Concrete Barrier. This will save money in material costs as well as labor costs.
Rather than laying down the plastic followed by the foam insulation, you can install the Concrete Barrier, tape the seams, and get both a vapor barrier and concrete insulation for less.
- One 500 square foot (4′ x 125′) roll of Concrete Barrier is $270.
- One roll of 3″ x 150′ vinyl tape is $9.00.
You can figure out how much Concrete Barrier you need in 4 simple steps:
1) Multiply the width and length of the basement ceiling. That’s the square footage of the project.
2) Divide that by 500. That’s how many square feet are in a roll of Concrete Barrier.
3) Round that number up to the next full integer (i.e. 2.5 becomes 3). That’s how many rolls you need.
4) If you have 100 sq. ft. more than 500 (i.e. 1,100; 1,600, 2,100), order a roll of 16″ CBF, rather than a full roll. You’ll save about $180.
5) You will also need to tape the seams, so you’ll need 1 roll of 3″ x 150′ poly tape for every roll of Concrete Barrier you purchase.