Permeable floor

[Taff in Glaws]

My plans for limecrete floor for the Kitchen are furrowing the brow of my right hand man.

He thinks given the fact our cellars have flooded a few times over recent years and the water table is high in the area I shouldn't risk a breathable floor. (I've only been here 8 months and flooded once about 4 inches deep and needed pumping out)


Given that such a floor allows for the passage of moisture will this lead to kitchen units soaking up moisture from the floor and the risk of rot?

It has also been suggested that anything I place in the floor is likely to become damp such as cardboard boxes, wicker baskets etc. This is a problem with storage in my cellars where everything has to be raised off the floor. Will a limecrete floor pose similar limitations?

 

[NT]

I'm wondering why anyone is considering a limecrete floor when a suspended tmber floor seems to have all the advantages.

It allows more evaporation from wet soil and damp wall bottoms.
It vents that damp to the exterior instead of into the house.
Its quick to construct
Its lightweight, so a dam site easier than carting a ton of lime and sand around
You can walk on it right away too.
You can lay any floor covering on it.
etc


NT

 

[Taff in Glaws]

That anyone is moi NT and I s'pose I'm considering limecrete to avoid the use of concrete and the associated problems.

If you scroll back to my original posting you'll see I currently have a floor half concrete and half beyond repair original parquet flooring.

It's a good point as any suspended timber flooring gives me more options for a range of floor coverings though one factor I need to consider is the ground levels outside the kitchen in the courtyard 'garden'are currently the same as the internal floor. Obviously I aim to reduce this but with an internal suspended floor what will the void need to be between the finished floor level and soil? Will a suspended floor require me to make an increased reduction in the external ground levels?

The kitchen is on a split level at the rear of the property between the first floor and cellar so the floor level cannot be changed. Don't know if that makes any sense or if the Rioja's taking over!

 

[NT]

If exterior ground level is at floor level you'd want to use periscope vents, and really to lower the ground level if poss.

How deep the void needs to be I dont know. But applying a little thought, I'd think the more exterior vents you had, the less depth the void would need to get adequate ventilation. I would expect a very shallow cavity would work fine if well vented. Perhaps someone else here knows more about that one.

I still cant think of any advantages for limecrete compared to this.


NT