A double flux VMC with a recuperateur de chaleur (heat exchanger) would certainly be the best way to vent your house, they are designed to extract from kitchens and bathrooms and supply to living and bedrooms, so the humidity would not be a problem at all. They are however usually a LOT more expensive than a simple extract and are designed to be installed as a “whole house” solution.
Robert, in light of your comments regarding unpredictable results using Beton Cire I’m considering polishing the slab now. I believe www.kiloutou.fr now hire out the appropriate equipment. Do you know if I should be adding any products during the polishing process or is it simply a case of using finer graded until it shines, and what it the optimum point at which to polish it after it was poured?
Also what the best way to ventilate the bathroom, an extractor fan to the outside would obviously be most effective at removing moisture but will also take all the heat with it. Is there a better way? Perhaps incorporating into a double flux VMC or can they not handle the moisture content?
Beton ciré as an applied decorative layer is much easier to manage than trying to treat a screed and will probably give better looking results. As it is the floor you might want to stick to a kit such as these- http://www.betonsdecoratifs.com/kits-beton-cire or similar…
If it is walls then you can just tint ordinary finishing plaster with universal colourant and apply beeswax- much cheaper than kits. The Moroccan version (tadelakt) is traditionally sealed with a mixture that includes eggs… but I would stick with beeswax or similar myself- you can buy Tadelakt finishing wax separately at Castorama.
Would be interested to know how the cost compares with tiling and look forwards to the photos…
3 x 4m is still a big bathroom - lucky you! We’re just advertising our next apartment (finished on Friday - hoorah!!) and that has a 5m2 bathroom with bath - and it feels quite roomy!
It wont be the entire space Kate, one bit will be a toilet, it’s only about 3 x 4 meters, just shot with a wide angle lens, made it look bigger I think.
Interesting Robert, perhaps I should do some tests first then, do you know who supplies the stuff, or can I mix it myself with cement, pigment plasticisers etc?
Beton Ciré (which is what I guess you mean?) is very dependent on how good your concrete is. Don’t be fooled by the glossy mag photos, the real thing has a LOT of variation in it, pitting, cloudy patches, etc. In my experience (I’m an architect), not many people are really happy to live with the finish in reality. That said you could always try it to see… if you don’t like it you can always tile over afterwards.
That is an amazing job James, it looks great. Congrats. Very interesting to read what you have achieved as we are about to embark on a similar project in a similar shaped room! Did you get any of your fittings from the UK (I did look through earlier comments and forgive me if I missed it)? We have hear varying stories of ‘yes great idea’ to ‘no avoid it at all costs’. Just trying to get a wider choice of bathroom fittings and furniture. Would be interested to hear your experience.
Hi James,
we’re about to put in another bedroom & en-suite and we’re very keen on the glass block wall.
What system did you use?
Did you have any issues at installation or since installation?
Very best,
Ray
PS fancy a days on-site consultancy??
