saveasteading

This came to me on Facebook and shows we have been discussing planting and they are listening. It is Scotland focussed but a lot of it will apply anywhere with heavy, esp compacted, clay and waterlogging. From what I know already, this is good advice, and along our intended lines for drainage, so I'm inclined to believe the rest too, esp what plants will thrive and help. Obv enter at your own risk. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DrEZd8UYc/

We have a large order to place and are favouring Roca for a lot of it. We are currently awaiting a quote from a smallish specialist supplier. Any guidance on what discount off list to aim for?

I've looked in detail at the standalone sircon units that are very common in Spain. In the diy stores they will have about 20 models. I box outside, pipes through the wall and a raduator/ fan inside. They are optimised for cooling but will also act as heaters, but not very efficiently....better than an electric heater but not much. It seems that the heat pumps are designed that way ie for heating or cooling most efficiently. I suppose the big difference is that in UK we are heating up to 20 when it might be zero outdoors all day, whereas in southern Spain in summer it will be cooling down to 25 when it is 35-40 at mid afternoon, dropping to 20 at night. ISH.... my new SI term to indicate very wild approximations. I wonder what the Spanish and French do in areas where they get very hot summers and also cold winters. Perhaps their units are optimised to heat and to cool.

I would have assumed there would be proper case studies by manufacturers or academics but I've not come across any. For me that's enough to suggest that it isn't an efficient process.... and many installers are just that, installers, and don't understand the heating principles let alone cooling.

I may tile the garage toilet/utility in a mix of old tiles for fun and mean-ness, I mean economy.

In real life though, are they still in store in case of damage? I can't recall ever having to use one. It would be relevant if changing fittings I suppose. We strive to get another 5% off the supply price then happily put 10% of the cost in the garden shed for ever. Would any suppliers set a box aside just in case? Of course they don't want to, but just might fof a very short period.

I seem to have usually 5% left over. If I've done it myself there will be actual waste due to mistakes, but the thinking out will have allowed offcuts to be used. If it's a professional then I don't expect many errors, and a polite discussion should avoid lots of big bits left over. Big tiles in small rooms won't be happening. Also I have prevailed in there not being bold patterns.... I hate seeing repeats in something pretending to be natural.

But cold isn't a thing, it's a lack of heat, so can't radiate. Heat is a thing. In your explanation is heat radiating from the air into the floor? What temperature are the floor and the liquid circulating?

I know that air to air works both ways.. did it in our office... ashp outside, plenum inside then ducts and fans. If I wanted cooling I'd do that.

Any advice on a percentage to add as waste. The suppliers say 10% as they always do. That suits them. I rather favour 5% but the risk is of being short and not getting matching spares. It must depend greatly on the skill and mindset of the tiler too. Am I right in thinking that big tiles have more waste?

Here's some input from me. Maybe BS as I'm going by hunch and science, not proofs. I can't see how air source pumps work efficiently in reverse for domestic purposes. Of course they work as chillers in air conditioning systems but that is by air circulation. Expecting to use cooling by sucking heat from a floor slab or radiator cannot be the same. In heating, we warm the concrete floor or screed and it makes our feet and lower parts cosy. It then warms the adjacent, cooler air which rises to the ceiling and this continues until the whole room volume is warm. But in reverse, the screed will cool and we will have cool feet, and will slowly cool the adjacent air, but it will stay there. The warm air above will stay put. If I'm wrong on any of this please advise.

For general info. Crushed tarmac and road planings used to be a waste product and was very cheap and great value. Then other people discovered this, some nay-saying consultants were converted to allowing it, and the price increased. Then it also became available graded as type 1 etc. Unfortunately crushed aggregate has always been abused by some suppliers I once saw a guy loading 3 parts rubble with 1 part soil from adjacent piles, into a crusher, and it was for sale. Even ethical efforts can contain some junk. All you can do is pay a lot for guaranteed clean and graded or take a chance.... or maybe visit the source. You can do a diy quality check by mixing a sample into a glass jar and swirling it in water. It settles in layers and you can assess how much silt is in it. Paper and wood will float.

It's not the M1, and will be strong enough. Block paving is flexible so you won't get cracking even if it moves a bit over decades. A whacker is plenty. Do drive over it many times. If it's going to compact , then do it now and the sand will level it off. And now stop worrying.

3mm under a 3m straightedge is the official measurement for industrial floors but I haven't checked re domestic.... logically it should mob be less stringent. That is in any direction and includes if you press down one end and measure under the opposite end. But finding a 3m straightedge isn't easy. Tiling adhesive will take out minor variations, but for LVT I think it could be a big issue Probably needs local filling.

@Redbeardis correct. Type 1 is designed to be as dense and stonelike as possible, and it follows on that it has low permeability. Crushed bitumen road is much the same mix with added bitumen so is even more so. @Willg you haven't mentioned this and perhaps you have a slope in mind and somwhere for the water to go