We have been given two contradictory opinions for the floor/base of a
conservatory. One company says we need a suspended floor and that it
would be 'ridiculous' to put in a solid concrete floor - because the
height from ground to floor level is 85cm. The other says they never
use wood because of expansion problems. The solid concrete floor would
be insulated and both would have ducts in for airbricks on the side of
the house.

Any opinions on which is better?

A second related question: should we have the floor flush with the
inside of the house, and hence have more steps and a higher wall
outside. Or would one step down into the conservatory be acceptable,
allowing a lower wall and one fewer step outside - perhaps improving
the external apperance?

Look forward to people's opinions. Obtained lots of useful information
from this group's archives on roofs, glass, etc - realy helped in
dealing with salesmen!

Graham

On 3 Oct 2004 05:09:57 -0700, (Graham)
wrote:

We have been given two contradictory opinions for the floor/base of a
conservatory. One company says we need a suspended floor and that it
would be 'ridiculous' to put in a solid concrete floor - because the
height from ground to floor level is 85cm. The other says they never
use wood because of expansion problems. The solid concrete floor would
be insulated and both would have ducts in for airbricks on the side of
the house.

Any opinions on which is better?

Both work from the insulation point of view.

Wooden floors have been used in houses since time immemorial.
Wood expands and contracts a little laterally but this is dealt with
by the way the floor is fitted - assuming boards are used.
If chipboard were used, there wouldn't be significant expansion and
contraction anyway.

Both methods of construction are used, although the 850mm depth may
impact on the choice because of the amount of fill required if a
concrete floor is done.

I am not sure that I would make the decision based on the floor
though.




A second related question: should we have the floor flush with the
inside of the house, and hence have more steps and a higher wall
outside. Or would one step down into the conservatory be acceptable,
allowing a lower wall and one fewer step outside - perhaps improving
the external apperance?

One factor could be access. Are you planning to stay in the house
a long time or have the possibility of an elderly relative staying
with you, or a disabled person?

Depending on the house and surrounding ground layout, it may be
preferable not to have a step between the house and conservatory.....




Look forward to people's opinions. Obtained lots of useful information
from this group's archives on roofs, glass, etc - realy helped in
dealing with salesmen!

Graham

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

On 3 Oct 2004 05:09:57 -0700, (Graham)
wrote:

We have been given two contradictory opinions for the floor/base of a
conservatory. One company says we need a suspended floor and that it
would be 'ridiculous' to put in a solid concrete floor - because the
height from ground to floor level is 85cm. The other says they never
use wood because of expansion problems. The solid concrete floor would
be insulated and both would have ducts in for airbricks on the side of
the house.

Any opinions on which is better?

A second related question: should we have the floor flush with the
inside of the house, and hence have more steps and a higher wall
outside. Or would one step down into the conservatory be acceptable,
allowing a lower wall and one fewer step outside - perhaps improving
the external apperance?

Look forward to people's opinions. Obtained lots of useful information
from this group's archives on roofs, glass, etc - realy helped in
dealing with salesmen!

Graham

Just to make the choices even more complex, you can have a suspended
concrete beam and block floor. Check out the celcon website.

Personally I'd have a suspended floor, with a hatch in, & keep my wine
down there. Now there is a dream, wine in the house thats not consumed
within a day ......

Rick

On Sun, 03 Oct 2004 13:15:54 GMT, Rick Dipper
wrote:

On 3 Oct 2004 05:09:57 -0700, (Graham)
wrote:

We have been given two contradictory opinions for the floor/base of a
conservatory. One company says we need a suspended floor and that it
would be 'ridiculous' to put in a solid concrete floor - because the
height from ground to floor level is 85cm. The other says they never
use wood because of expansion problems. The solid concrete floor would
be insulated and both would have ducts in for airbricks on the side of
the house.

Any opinions on which is better?

A second related question: should we have the floor flush with the
inside of the house, and hence have more steps and a higher wall
outside. Or would one step down into the conservatory be acceptable,
allowing a lower wall and one fewer step outside - perhaps improving
the external apperance?

Look forward to people's opinions. Obtained lots of useful information
from this group's archives on roofs, glass, etc - realy helped in
dealing with salesmen!

Graham

Just to make the choices even more complex, you can have a suspended
concrete beam and block floor. Check out the celcon website.

Personally I'd have a suspended floor, with a hatch in, & keep my wine
down there. Now there is a dream, wine in the house thats not consumed
within a day ......

Rick


I know what you mean. I bought a wine box recently. It said on
the box that it lasts for three months. It doesn't..... :-)



..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Graham wrote in message
om...
We have been given two contradictory opinions for the floor/base of
a
conservatory. One company says we need a suspended floor and that it
would be 'ridiculous' to put in a solid concrete floor - because the
height from ground to floor level is 85cm. The other says they never
use wood because of expansion problems. The solid concrete floor
would
be insulated and both would have ducts in for airbricks on the side
of
the house.

Any opinions on which is better?

A second related question: should we have the floor flush with the
inside of the house, and hence have more steps and a higher wall
outside. Or would one step down into the conservatory be acceptable,
allowing a lower wall and one fewer step outside - perhaps improving
the external apperance?

Look forward to people's opinions. Obtained lots of useful
information
from this group's archives on roofs, glass, etc - realy helped in
dealing with salesmen!

Graham

I built a Wickes hardwood conservatory a couple of years ago with
about the same height floor to ground as yours. I put in a suspended
floor of braced joists, chipboard screwed down, Aquapanel screwed
down, underfloor heating cable and finally tiles, and I haven't fallen
through yet. It's important to have the floor as rigid as possible if
tiling it, hence the braced joists, and of course a concrete floor,
suspended or solid, would be rigid.
My floor is at the same level as the house floor, with three steps
down to the garden, and I admit the front wall does look quite large.

Rob


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Rick Dipper wrote in message . ..
On 3 Oct 2004 05:09:57 -0700, (Graham)
wrote:

would be 'ridiculous' to put in a solid concrete floor - because the
height from ground to floor level is 85cm.

..85m... you couldnt dig down to make that 1.85m could you? Could be
kinda handy, free up your spare room etc.


A second related question: should we have the floor flush with the
inside of the house, and hence have more steps and a higher wall
outside. Or would one step down into the conservatory be acceptable,

you tell us, would it be acceptable for you?

The general rule of thumb is
1. try to avoid steps in floors, as theyre a real sod if you get real
ill, and people do get real ill in old age.
2. but if ya have to have one to get things to fit, so be it.

allowing a lower wall and one fewer step outside - perhaps improving
the external apperance?

I'd probably keep the floors level and dig down for another room
beneath. The underground wont be seen from outside, so you can make it
from poured concrete, concrete block, or whatever very low cost method
you want. .85m gives you windows as well.


Regards, NT

"Graham" wrote in message
om...
We have been given two contradictory opinions for the floor/base of a
conservatory. One company says we need a suspended floor and that it
would be 'ridiculous' to put in a solid concrete floor - because the
height from ground to floor level is 85cm.

Well we had over 25 feet of concrete (built on a marsh) below our last house
so anything's possible.

But I would go for the suspended floor as well. Keep it flush with the
house and use folding doors, not sliding patio doors so that the areas can
become one.

(Graham) wrote in message . com...
We have been given two contradictory opinions for the floor/base of a
conservatory. One company says we need a suspended floor and that it
would be 'ridiculous' to put in a solid concrete floor - because the
height from ground to floor level is 85cm. The other says they never
use wood because of expansion problems. The solid concrete floor would
be insulated and both would have ducts in for airbricks on the side of
the house.


A typical break point between suspended and ground bearing slabs is if
the required fill is more or less than 600mm. How much topsoil/poor
ground has to be removed will obviously affect this - with domestic
building the ground pressures under a slab are low and so differential
settlement w.r.t. the walls is the main criteria.

Both types of floor slab are fine - but as someone else said, if you
use a suspended floor I would have a think about using a beam and
block floor.

We have been given two contradictory opinions for the floor/base of a
conservatory. One company says we need a suspended floor and that it
would be 'ridiculous' to put in a solid concrete floor - because the
height from ground to floor level is 85cm.

I've got a steel suspended floor in mine. 85cm would probably be too much
for concrete. Although the steel floor is supposed to sit 20cm of so above
ground pad foundation level, I've raised mine higher with dense concrete
blocks.

Christian.

Graham wrote:

We have been given two contradictory opinions for the floor/base of a
conservatory. One company says we need a suspended floor and that it
would be 'ridiculous' to put in a solid concrete floor - because the
height from ground to floor level is 85cm. The other says they never
use wood because of expansion problems. The solid concrete floor would
be insulated and both would have ducts in for airbricks on the side of
the house.

Any opinions on which is better?

Both can be made to work well.

A lot depends on what final flooring you want, and whether UFH is to be
installed.

Personally I would go with a suspended concrete floor, insulated and
screeded and maybe UFH buried in it, and then if you want wood over that
- well it will move like buggery between summer and winter, but it all
adds to the charm? At least you have a dry sealed damp free and maybe
heated floor under it.

My personal choice would be a heated floor, tiled, for a conservatory.
YMMV



A second related question: should we have the floor flush with the
inside of the house, and hence have more steps and a higher wall
outside. Or would one step down into the conservatory be acceptable,
allowing a lower wall and one fewer step outside - perhaps improving
the external apperance?

Look forward to people's opinions. Obtained lots of useful information
from this group's archives on roofs, glass, etc - realy helped in
dealing with salesmen!

Graham

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...
We have been given two contradictory opinions for the floor/base of a
conservatory. One company says we need a suspended floor and that it
would be 'ridiculous' to put in a solid concrete floor - because the
height from ground to floor level is 85cm.

I've got a steel suspended floor in mine. 85cm would probably be too much
for concrete. Although the steel floor is supposed to sit 20cm of so above
ground pad foundation level, I've raised mine higher with dense concrete
blocks.

Christian.

A masonry floor is cooler in summer as it absorbs heat. If you want to use
the conservatory as a means of generating heat to fan into the main house
then use as little masonry as possible in the construction. Dwarf walls and
an insulated concrete floor are mush cooler in summer than a wooden floor
with no dwarf walls.

(Graham) wrote in message . com...
We have been given two contradictory opinions for the floor/base of a
conservatory. One company says we need a suspended floor and that it
would be 'ridiculous' to put in a solid concrete floor - because the
height from ground to floor level is 85cm. The other says they never
use wood because of expansion problems. The solid concrete floor would
be insulated and both would have ducts in for airbricks on the side of
the house.

Any opinions on which is better?

From the point of view of how it feels underfoot, a suspended floor
beats the solid floor hands down. I've just had a conservatory built
with a suspended floor and it's much nicer to walk on than my in-laws
solid floor.