Wooden floors and underfloor heating
As time went by houses in all of Europe were built with different wooden floor constructions, coinciding with historical periods. Building styles and materials have developed continuously and this applies equally to the floor constructions that were used in these houses.
Before the 19th century wooden floors were the norm in many European houses. They were supported by layers of wooden beams and often covered with planks or terracotta tiles. During the 19th and 20th centuries wooden floors were still commonly used, especially in simpler homes, farms and high-rise buildings such as canal houses or apartment complexes.
Around the 1920s to 1940s concrete started gaining in popularity and the traditional wooden floor constructions were being replaced more and more. After World War II concrete became the dominant choice for floor constructions in most newly built homes. Wooden floors were used less in this period, especially in bigger and more modern homes.
Nowadays we still run into wooden floor constructions, in particular during renovations of older homes or homes with a wood-based construction. To install an underfloor heating system in this specific context, most underfloor heating companies will use pre-milled underfloor heating panels that are placed like a puzzle on top of the wooden floor construction.
Gypsum fibre solution
JK has gone one step further and has revised this approach through intensive cooperation with pre-eminent dry construction manufacturers such as James Hardie, Fermacell and Knauf. The vision was to maintain the JK® system’s characteristic properties, such as bespoke installation, while simultaneously enhancing it with benefits such as sound absorption and fire resistance. As well, the focus was on simplified installation, avoiding the need for the puzzle pattern to reduce complexity and minimalizing cutting waste.
This solution was found by grinding the JK® system into a dry construction floor element. This element is composed primarily of two components: gypsum fibre and paper reinforcement. Gypsum plasterboard fibres are made from ground gypsum mixed with cellulose fibres from recycled paper or wood. The addition of paper reinforcement during the production process strengthens the element and lowers the risk of cracks. Dry construction panels are generally free from harmful substances and contribute to a healthy indoor climate. In this way the JK® system combines the best of both worlds: the benefits of in-ground underfloor heating with the properties of dry construction floor elements.
The JK® system, installed in gypsum fibre floor elements, offers a dry construction solution because no liquid materials are used as part of the floor construction, such as sand cement, concrete or anhydrite. The choice for dry construction is often made due to the lack of drying times, reduced moisture load during the construction phase and a lighter overall weight. Moreover, dry construction often leads to fewer construction mistakes and smaller acoustic leaks.
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