A while back here on our blog, we looked at an overview of different types of kitchen and bathroom flooring options which included ceramic tile, hardwood flooring, rigid core vinyl and a list of alternative less common types but equally and even in some cases even more interesting types of flooring.
- Concrete: Polished or stained concrete offers a modern, industrial look and is highly durable and water-resistant.
- Linoleum: Made from natural materials like linseed oil and cork, linoleum is a resilient, eco-friendly flooring option with a wide range of colors and patterns.
- Cork: Soft, comfortable, and resistant to moisture, cork flooring provides a unique, natural aesthetic and has sound-insulating properties.
- Bamboo: A renewable and eco-friendly alternative to hardwood, bamboo flooring offers durability and a distinctive visual appeal.
We left it with the simple summary above, didn’t get into a lot of the details, but today we’re going to take a closer look at some of these main details and some of our personal favorites one of which is exposed concrete floors. Exposed concrete floors are not perfect because they have some inherent obvious limitations. They look rough and raw, they have variation between one spot and the next. They’re also cold and hard and the fact that they are very cold might make quite a perceptive difference in the middle of the Washington DC winter. Another qualifier to consider, specific to concrete floors is that upper levels of a building, unless they’re an industrial or commercial building built with concrete floors, the typical floor systems in residential homes in Washington DC and the surrounding area are built with light wood framing. Concrete isn’t really an applicable finish for those types of above grade levels of a building.
The inherent cold temperatures of concrete floors are particularly noticeable in the winter months. This is due to concrete’s high thermal conductivity, meaning it transfers heat very efficiently, it is a hard and dense material, like a large thermal sync. In a cold environment, such as a winter in Washington, DC, the heat from your body or the indoor air is rapidly absorbed by the concrete floor, making it feel cold to the touch. This effect is more pronounced in regions with lower average winter temperatures and less sunlight to warm the surfaces.
The average temperature of a concrete floor, whether it’s a slab on grade or a slab in a basement, is influenced by several factors including ground temperature, building insulation, and ambient indoor temperature. In Washington, DC, the frost line is approximately 30 to 36 inches deep, meaning the ground temperature below this line remains relatively constant throughout the year, typically around 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Slab on Grade: This type of concrete floor is directly in contact with the ground, and its temperature will closely mirror the ground temperature, especially in winter. Without proper insulation, the slab can act as a conduit for cold from the ground, keeping the floor around that temperature range we mentioned of about 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Basement Slab: A basement slab may be slightly warmer due to the insulating effect of the surrounding earth, which provides a buffer against extreme temperature fluctuations. However, it still remains cooler than above-ground floors, generally ranging from around 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Other types of flooring offer better thermal resistance compared to concrete, making them feel warmer underfoot in winter:
Carpet provides significant insulation due to its fibers and the padding underneath, which trap air and reduce heat transfer. Hardwood flooring has a natural thermal resistance, making it warmer to the touch than concrete. Additionally, wood does not conduct heat as efficiently as concrete, resulting in a warmer surface. However, even though we mentioned carpet and hardwood flooring as possible alternatives, those types of floorings are not always perfect for basements or slabs on grade because of the common residual moisture and/or permeability of concrete.
Most of the historic properties in Washington DC were built without finish basements. In the many decades since the original construction, many of the basements have been converted into interior habitable space with finishes, both on the floors and the walls. Overall, in most cases, the concrete slabs in Washington DC row home basements were added in the past eight decades or so. At the time when they were added though, it’s not common that insulation under this lab and or proper vapor barriers were installed. Washington DC went through significant cycles of changing economics and even today contractors all over Washington dc, in the house flipping the side of the industry, cut corners everywhere they can. It’s actually rare that real estate agents or house flippers will hire contractors like ourselves because they prefer contractors who are less experienced and the lower cost, willing to cut corners at the detriment of future property owners. That might sound like a negative assumption, but house or property developers do low quality work again and again, all over the city. When a company like ourselves comes in after developer, we have to redo a lot of their work, and without a good quality vapor barrier below the slab, floor types like carpet or wood will generally have excessive exposure to moisture and become damaged from that residual moisture in a basement.
The human body generally feels more comfortable walking on surfaces that are closer to body temperature. Flooring materials with higher thermal resistance, such as carpet, hardwood, and cork, provide a warmer and more comfortable walking experience in cold weather. Concrete floors, with their high thermal conductivity, lack this insulating property and therefore feel significantly colder.
Dupont Kitchen & Bath Can Help
As dedicated and local DC metropolitan kitchen and bath builders and installers, we pride ourselves on turning your visions into reality. Your kitchen can reflect your unique style and be designed with personalized aesthetics. It can be a process from creative designs to the realization of your dream space. Specializing in kitchen and bath construction, we bring expertise and skills to every project. If you’re contemplating a renovation, upgrade, or modernization in the local market, we’re happy to be your team. Consult with us, and we can start together on a path to redefine and elevate your DC living experience.
You can visit our company website at https://dupontkitchenbathdc.com/
