Partially heated concrete floor

[bcparfitt]

I'm working on partitioning out a 15x30 foot shop in our existing 30x60 barn. The shop will be heated in the winter. The remaining floor space in the barn will not be heated. The floor in the barn is a 4" poured concrete floor. During a very harsh winter last year, I definitely had some heaving in the floor. Should I be cutting the concrete through to "float" the cold and heated sections of pad independently? This would in effect create a 15x30 heated pad and a 45x30 unheated pad. Make sense? Or am I over thinking this?

Thanks!
Brian

 

[finn]

When I built my old shop about 10 years ago, the building inspetor had the contractor install a thermal break betweeen the heated floor (shop) and the non-heated (storage) concrete floors. The (2"?) foam-board break doesn't seem to create a problem, even though I never got around to installing a partition wall.

 

[kabinenroller]

If you are heating the air (forced air or radiant) not the slab (hydronic) you should Consider isolating the slab. Heating the air will not keep the slab that warm in a pole building unless you have insulated the perimeter of the slab. I have hydronic heat in my stick built shop (with fully insulated foundation) and heat about 3/4 of the building, the cold part of the building has a 2" foam vertical thermo break between the two slabs. I have no thermo transfer between the two floors.

 

[Rookie2]

I would cut it. every bit helps.

 

[audioworks04]

For sure need some sort of a thermal break, at a minimum something to allow the two areas to expand and contract independently of each other.

 

[Bondo]

I would cut it. every bit helps.

For sure need some sort of a thermal break, at a minimum something to allow the two areas to expand and contract independently of each other.

Ayuh,..... Agreed,.... Even just runnin' a demo-saw 'round the perimeter would, I think, Help to some degree,.....
An air-gap thremal break,...

'course, twice 'round, 'n pick out the in-between, you could pack the slot with foam,....

 

[venturesomerite]

I agree, I would add some sort of break.