Smart Floors For Sheds in 2023
Why do smart floors for sheds make sense?
These days, sheds are more than just places to store our junk. Pottering shed, painting studio, woodworking shop, clay throwing, man-caving, you name it; people use their sheds in many different ways. While sheds are sometimes rebranded as “pool houses,” expanded shed use means there’s a higher demand for improved shed functionality.
Enter the smart floor!
No longer do we have to rely solely on insulation to keep our feet warm. Now we can make our sheds cozy and inviting with the swipe of a screen.
Before we talk Smart Floors, let’s talk about optimal flooring for sheds.
When it comes to choosing flooring for sheds, there are several factors to consider:
- Durability
- Moisture resistance
- Ease of installation
- Cost-effectiveness
Some of the best flooring options for sheds include:
- Concrete is durable, moisture-resistant, and easy to clean. This material can be plain or painted to add a decorative touch.
- Pressure-treated plywood is cost-effective and resistant to moisture and rot. You can paint or stain plywood to achieve your aesthetic goals.
- Vinyl flooring is waterproof, durable, easy to clean, and install. Vinyl comes in a variety of colors and patterns; you can apply it over a concrete or plywood subfloor.
- Rubber flooring is durable and slip-resistant. Rubber is ideal for sheds used as workshops or gyms. Available in tiles or rolls, you can install I over a concrete or plywood subfloor.
- Interlocking tiles are a versatile option that goes over any type of subfloor. These tiles are easy to install and remove or replaced if damaged.
Ultimately, the best flooring for sheds depends on the intended use of the space, the level of foot traffic, and the budget. It’s important to choose a flooring option that withstands the demands of the space while also being easy to maintain and clean.
Materials that can resist fungal decay is key. If your shed is made of wood, obviously you don’t want something that’s vulnerable to termite damage.
What flooring is not recommended for smart floors in sheds?
While no flooring is specifically recommended for smart floors in sheds, there are some flooring types that may not be the best fit. Naturally, this depends on the type of smart technology being integrated and the intended use of the shed.
For example, carpeting isn’t moisture-resistant and can be difficult to clean. Similarly, natural hardwood flooring may not be ideal for sheds with high moisture levels or fluctuations in temperature. This is because hardwood is prone to warping and buckling.
Consider the specific needs and requirements of the smart technology you desire to integrate. For example, if the smart technology involves sensors or cameras, it may be necessary to choose flooring that is smooth and level. You want to prevent tripping hazards or interference with the technology.
Overall, the best flooring for smart floors in sheds depends on a variety of factors. Consider the type of technology you want to integrate and the intended use of the space. Of course, don’t forget the budget!
Remember to choose a flooring option that is durable, and moisture-resistant. Perhaps, most importantly, one that is compatible with the smart technology you choose.
So what’s a smart floor?
Beyond flooring materials and floor paint, the core of smart flooring is what’s underneath…
Through sensors embedded under the surface of the top flooring, smart floors can detect footstep pressure, footstep speed, weight, and overall motion activity. These sensors enable smart floors to detect individuals as they move, and then reacts accordingly to their specific motions, allowing them to interact with the environment.
A range of applications for smart floors enables people to have hands-free accesses to doors and appliances. It can also trigger custom lighting options inspired by motion trends or simply activating a music playlist according to the flow of activities going on within a given, flooring space.
Powered by Artificial Intelligence, smart floors could revolutionize how we interact with our physical spaces in profound ways for many years to come!
Why smart floors for sheds?
We all know shed floors need to be durable, but what about bringing them into the 21st century by making them smart?
Is sub flooring enough?
Don’t misunderstand, the place where your shed’s floor system meets the ground has a greater risk of rotting. Thus, you want to make sure your subflooring is adequate and that your floor frame is built with weather-resistant materials. That said, no matter what you choose for this function, it still won’t offer the values that radiant flooring can in terms of heating a room from the floor up.
Are radiant coils smart enough?
What’s the difference between radiant floors and smart floors?
Radiant floors are a great way to warm a home or commercial building in an efficient and cost-effective way. This form of energy transfer, as opposed to convection, keeps the temperature consistent and evenly distributed . Instead of emitting heat into the air like some traditional HVAC systems, radiant floors warms objects and persons near it, making heating a room more uniform and comfortable. Smart floors for sheds eliminate cold drafts and hot spots while using significantly less energy than other heating systems. In short, it evenly distributes heat throughout the room, thus wastes less energy and keeps heating costs down. Statistically, houses with radiant heat have lower annual energy bills. But without smart features, they require regular thermostat adjustments, pre-thought to allow for heating time, presence in the home to turn on the heat.
Smart floors streamline radiant heating
Let’s face it, sheds in winter are not usually inviting spaces because of insulation issues. That’s why smart floors are so helpful especially for outdoor structures!
With smart apps, your shed is warm before you enter it.
Making your radiant floors smart is the next level in personal design. You can customize your comfort choices based on outdoor temperatures, energy conservation, individualized zones, time of day, time of year, you name it…
Imagine the luxury of smart floors in your shed. With smart floors, you can adjust settings for optimum warmth before your feet hit the ground.
Smart floors make sense!
No longer do you need to think about setting the thermostat or waiting for floors to heat up. You also don’t need to worry about paying for heating all night because you forget to turn off your radiant heating. With your smart floor app, you can turn off the heat automatically, and from anywhere in the world!
Additionally, smart floors come with motion detectors and light sensors which further contribute to efficiency.
Automated temperature controls operate when they needed most, and keep the house cozy without wasting energy.
Electric In-Floor Radiant Heat With Less EMF
Learn what EMFs are and why you might want to reduce your exposure to them here.
If you chose in-floor electric heat these manufacturers provide pre-wired mats that are place under tile without producing significant EMF levels:
Which companies make smart flooring with low EMF output?
- Warmzone
- Thermosoft linked to here
and here
- SunTouch
These mats are wired so they don’t produce AC magnetic fields when turned on. EMF Expert, Oram Miller says, “The magnetic field rotating clockwise around the hot wire with outgoing current is cancelled by the magnetic field rotating counter-clockwise around the current returning on the neutral wire (which equals the current on the hot wire, thereby creating almost full cancellation). This occurs because each of these manufacturers runs the returning neutral wire alongside the outgoing hot wire using what some companies call Dual Conductor Technology.“
Oram continues, “In addition, 120 Volt heating mat models sold by these manufacturers are wrapped in grounded, shielded metal foil that contains AC electric field EMFs from the hot wire, when turned on. (Their 240 Volt models do not need such shielding because the electric fields on the two hot wires in the 240 Volt models are connected to opposite legs in the breaker panel, and the electric fields on each leg are 180 degrees out of phase with each other. The two electric fields on each hot wire therefore cancel.)“
If you do go this way, test the reduction with an emf meter. If you’re using your shed as a workspace, or music studio, you may be using a lot of electronics and wireless in a small space. Because of this, consider a dirty electricity filter. We particularly like this one from GreenWave.
Now, what app is right for you? Stay tuned…we’ll be writing about that soon!
