FROST PROTECTION INSTRUCTION FOR DECKS AND PAVING
Summer is high season for building decks and paving yards. Paving begins with soil replacement, at which point you should ensure that the bearing capacity of the foundation soil that will provide the base for aggregate is sufficient, and make plans for the frost insulation. The foundation soil is covered with at least 100 mm of compacted aggregate, on top of which is installed 50–100 mm of FINNFOAM frost insulation. You should add at least 100 mm of sand or aggregate on top of the FINNFOAM insulation before laying down the paving stones. You should extend the frost insulation far enough beyond the edges of the paving to ensure that frost cannot reach around the insulation to cause damage at the edges.
The first stage of building a deck consists of careful planning. This allows you to avoid having to repair frost damage every spring. Frost protection is a key part of the successful construction of a durable deck. With FINNFOAM products, frost protection is quick, easy, and, most importantly, effective. The insulation panels can be cut with traditional hand tools, such as a knife or hand saw.
Frost is caused when water in the soil is frozen, thus increasing the volume of the soil layer. Frost heaving is impacted, among other things, by the type of soil and location, which affects the number of sub-zero hours.
You should first ensure that the foundation soil below the deck has a sufficient bearing capacity. A layer of foundation soil is removed and the soil that will provide the base for the frost insulation is leveled out using a layer of aggregate measuring at least 100 mm in thickness.
The FINNFOAM pillar molds are installed in place as designed. The FINNFOAM pillar mold is easy to position into the right place and functions as a concrete mold of the deck foundation.
Concrete is poured into the pillar mold. The mold must be supported using soil or blocks during the pour. 50–100 mm of FINNFOAM FL-300 is installed as frost insulation around the pillar molds, underneath the entire deck, and at least two meters beyond the outer edges of the deck. The thickness and width of the insulation layer depends on the geographical location.
A layer of aggregate at least 200 mm thick is added on top of the FINNFOAM FL-300 insulation such that the insulation panels are completely covered.
FINNFOAM XPS frost insulation features a fully consistent and closed cell structure that ensures the longevity of the panels, high insulation capacity, and airtightness. FINNFOAM thermal insulation products are made from extruded polystyrene (XPS), and they will retain their insulation capacity and sturdiness in demanding conditions as well.
