building sun patio, concrete or wood floor?

[mark s]

Trying to design a sun patio for a home addition (do it yourself).

If I used concrete for the floor, it would be an elevated slab - however, I am afraid that the winter cold will transfer through the concrete floor, and basically make the sunroom too difficult to heat in the winter. Is this thought correct?

Would a wood floor w/ insulation be the better choice?

thanks. Mark [e-mail]

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, I converted a wooden deck into 4 season sunroom. I installed laminated foam core on top of deck and installed skirting, insulated roof, double pane windows, door. Installed Carrier 25000 BTU Heat exchanger(for cooling in summer and heating in winter). I live in Southern Alberta. Tony

[default]

If you excavate for the slab, and put down 2-4" of urethane foam UNDER the slab, then it will be isolated from the ground, and just act as thermal mass, which will make the sunroom more comfortable, not less. (assuming that you keep the thing heated) I don't know what they do at the edges of the slab, but maybe someone else does. Failing a better idea, I'd pour the wall-footings as a separate peice, with 1/2" of foam between them and the floating slab.

--Goedn

[Edwin Pawlowski]

2" of foam insulation under the concrete. Good insulation, no rot.