Ducon slab or not

M

millie06

Registered User
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hi there,

Just got planning for a 2500 ft house and drawing up the builder's plans now.

I had my heart set on ducon slab upstairs but I heard over the weekend that you can sound proof just as well with insulation between the timber joists and under the floor boards and works out just as good.

What do you think out there???!
 
Re: ducon salb or not

For those who dont know what a ducon slab is.

DUCON is an innovative new composite of concrete and steel in a configuration that achieves unusually high strength and ductility. Three-dimensional mats made of multiple layers of fine steel mesh are infiltrated and encased in a slurry of high-strength cementitious mortar.


Its name is a contraction of the term “ductile concrete.” The mesh and mortar composite acts in ways that ordinary concrete and rebar do not. It can bend without breaking. Even when it is breached by high impulsive loads like blasts, it holds onto its fragments and does not spall.
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I would go with them. They are about the only thing we didnt go with when we were building last year.
I was in a house recently and as son as I went upstairs I knew straight away they had Ducon slabs. I found it to be a huge difference. Not just the sound proofing but the general feel of sturdiness it gave
 
Was at the selfbuild expo in Millstreet over the weekend.

There was exhibitor there called Gleeson Concrete from Tipp. who do a concrete slab. Cost is between €81-85 + Vat per sq. m approx. Don't ask me what thickness of slab, coz I don't know.

Is this competitive?

Cork Boy
 
You could just double up on your joists, lay your chipboard as normal and then pur a 3" concrete screed on top. Works just as good as a concrete slab, for a fraction of the cost
 
you still get a sound transfer through a joist that you dont get with a slab. i'm sorry i didnt go with a slab when i was building in 2000
 
Hi we got one put in recently.
The cost from Ducon is only a part of what the actual floor will cost, ours was approx 10K (2800 sq ft house, direct labour, cash to contractors aside from Ducon).

You get the slab, then prop the underneath then pour a screed with a fiberous fast drying concrete or they put in wire mesh to reinforce.

It feels very solid, we aren't in yet.
Everyone we spoke with who built in the last few years, including our tradesmen say it's their biggest regret not doing.

I'd go for it again, but we did start out estimating about 6 or 7 K for it not the 10k it ended up costing!
 
We installed Ducon in our build (moving in this Weds......oh the excitement!!!) So happy we did it, it makes such a difference compared to the homes of friends who have self built with suspended floors. Go for it I'd say....:)
 
There is also the cost of putting in the false ceiling on the underside of the slab to consider be it using timber battens or a metal type ceiling. I would be interested to hear what Bobbins or Silvergirl did for their ceiling downstairs and what ceiling height did they end up with.
 
as seantheman says.... the majority of sound transference in timber floors is through the joists. insulation between the joists would hamper the 'amplifier effect' you get with an air cavity... but wouldnt actually stop the transference of sound.
 
Other than Ducon slabs, can someone give a list of the options available when constructing a first floor?
Thanks,
Eoghan
 
9 x 2 timber joists
9 x 3 timber joists
engineered timber I beams
eco-joist webbed system
composite concrete floors such as above or jj beads floor.
precast concrete slabs
prestressed concrete slabs
hollowcore concrete slabs
 
how about the fermacell first floor system has anybody any expierence of it?it uses the standard timber joist or whatever you like to use then battons + air space i think then ply or fermacell board + fermacell honeycombe sound insulation which is filled with a special mixture then ply-fermacell board. this is very vague i know but richmond b.p sell it so check it out with them. i think it only takes about 60-80mm in total and dulls about 30-40 decables. i dont have any connection or know much about it but i'd love to hear of anybody who has used it
 
I asked this question earlier but there were no replies. Are Ducon Slabs and Hollowcore the same thing? If not what are the differences? Thanks.
 
Johny D said:
I asked this question earlier but there were no replies. Are Ducon Slabs and Hollowcore the same thing? If not what are the differences? Thanks.
Click to expand...

no they are not.

ducon slabs use a fine steel mesh (generally 3 layers) for reinforcement, and are 'complete' slabs. they can be prefabricated or poured in-situ.

whereas hollowcore slabs generally use bars as reinforcement and have hollow cores in the slabs that reduct the self load without compromising the strength.
these are generally prefabricated
 
Thanks Sydthebeat.

Generally which type, Ducon or Hollowcore would use up less space. In a story and 1/2 I'm trying to retain as much height upstairs as possible.
 
the best is probably the 'lewis sheeting' floor..... on an engineered I beam....

check out jerry beades [broken link removed]

and jjl joists [broken link removed]
 
GO WITH IT. I'm am disgusted that I didnt opt for it. I have a fab self build only to be let sown by some horendus transfer of noise from 1st floor to gnd floor. I have literally tried everything. I have taken up flooring skirting etc to try an solve.
 
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