rjclark71

Thank you. Keep bays as square as possible, ideally 1:1 to 1:1.5 and no worse than 1:2. UFH pipes stapled to insulation are common and fine, but they do not control cracking. Saw-cut joints to about one-third depth and cut early so the slab cracks where you want it to. Avoid adding water on site, over-trowelling or closing the surface too early, delaying saw cuts, skipping curing, or pouring long thin bays. Get the joint layout, timing, and curing right and the UFH will cope with normal movement without issue. You could use a macro fibre but it will not fix the basics. Used correctly, they are a support measure, not a solution.

I have spent decades working across ready-mix, precast, materials testing, failure investigation, and standards compliance, gaining hard-earned experience that comes only from solving real problems on live projects under commercial and regulatory pressure. Locally plots seem just to appear on planning, planning is rejected then a forsale sign appears on the plot. I am either searching in the wrong places or just late to the party.

For years I have dreamed of purchasing a small plot. One day I will, but in our area such land is quickly snapped up by small building firms. Often it is land you know well, land long assumed to be public, until it is not. Such is life. A little about me. I am a concrete technical specialist, so if anyone needs advice, or if something has gone wrong with cement-based products, I can probably assist. Take care.