Got some PVC floor tiles that click together jigsaw-style for the garage (concrete floor). Cannot be bothered to build a suspended floor so wondering if there’s anything I can pop down first that will provide a bit of insulation and a tiny bit of cushioning?
Had a quick google last night, don’t know if this would be suitable?
https://www.screwfix.com/p/aquastop-underlay-5m-/2471R?tc=GB4&ds_kid=92700058024392955&ds_rl=1249407&ds_rl=1241687&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1245250&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuPeBnb_57gIVibrtCh0hPwosEAQYASABEgLYmfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#product_additional_details_container
It'll do very little for insulation
But it will provide a little bit of cushioning and you need something between hard pvc tiles and hard uneven surfaces like concrete.
@trail_rat really? it does say "excellent heat insulation" on the description! but happy to take advice as I know sod all about this kind of thing. Is there something more suitable? Or is (as a few things I was googling last night suggested) floor insulation a bit of a red herring because you just want to be concentrating on the walls/celing? It also says "Inclusive Vapour Barrier" on that description... is that good/something I want to be considering?
Excellent compares to nothing .
There are companies who market bubble foil as compatible to 50mm of board......
Its not.
Marketing blurb in not all that
Speaking of which, I have a load of the bubble wrap stuff left as I bought some to tape over the back of the roller shutter. Would it help putting that down on the floor (as well as?) underlay of some kind?
Itll all help....
Just how much is questionable
Bubble foil has an r of less that 1 . Its a reflector of radiant heat it's not an insulator most of the benifit folk get from bubble foil is that it's also a vapour barrier....and so stops drafts....
25mm of rigid foam (kingspan style not polystyrene) is r of 5
Insulative effect is almost proportional to it's thickness anything marketed as an underlay to your flooring will be of limited use for insulation especially against the heatsink of a slab of concrete.
thanks, just spent a while googling R values etc & think I have a handle on it now. I see Kingspan do some panels suitable for concrete floors, actually a similar (slightly higher) R value to the underlay I linked to but as you say 25mm of that vs 5mm. Think I will try the underlay for now as it won't cost loads and will give it an extra bit of squish. Looks like I could easily pop some of those Kingspan panels under later if necessary as nothing will be glued down. (Although soon enough will probably have the problem of the garage being too hot rather than too cold!!)
You could look at proper underfloor insulation
Or use the cheap click together foam tiles off eBay which are pretty good for insulation.