Prefabricated Floor Slabs for Rural Houses

The use of prefabricated floor slabs in rural houses was relatively common in the past, but it has gradually been phased out today due to numerous drawbacks, and it is not recommended to continue using them.

I. Advantages

1. Low cost: Prefabricated floor slabs are produced and processed in prefabrication yards. Mass production can reduce unit costs. Compared with cast-in-place floor slabs, the costs of materials and labor are lower, which can save a certain amount of expenses for self-built rural houses with limited budgets.
2. Fast construction speed: After the prefabricated slabs are made, they can be directly hoisted and used. The roof can be covered in one day or half a day, greatly shortening the construction period, improving the efficiency of house building, and enabling farmers to move into their new houses sooner.

II. Disadvantages

1. Poor sound insulation and heat insulation: The walls of prefabricated floor slabs are thin, and the sound insulation is almost zero. External noise can easily enter the room, affecting living comfort. At the same time, its heat insulation performance is poor. The indoor temperature is high in summer and low in winter, leading to an increase in air conditioning electricity bills, and it is difficult to remedy the problem of being "cold in winter and hot in summer".
2. Prominent waterproofing issues: There is a relatively high probability of water leakage in roofs made of prefabricated slabs. Among 10 households with prefabricated slab roofs, 8 have water leakage problems. Even with waterproofing treatment, it cannot guarantee 100% no leakage, causing a lot of inconvenience for living.
3. Low seismic coefficient: Prefabricated floor slabs cannot be used in earthquake-prone areas. Their structural characteristics determine that they are prone to collapse under the action of an earthquake, posing a serious threat to life and property safety.
4. Potential safety hazards: Prefabricated floor slabs are placed on walls, and they may fall off with a slight shake, especially after being subjected to external forces or long-term use, when the safety hazards are more prominent.
5. Easy to crack on the ground: If the foundation sinks slightly, cracks will spread all over the walls and floors. In rainy days, water leakage from the upper floors will flow to the lower floors, causing disputes between neighbors. Moreover, in houses that have not been repaired for a long time, the cracks become larger and larger, and repair is difficult.
6. Poor thermal insulation: The indoor temperature is high in summer and low in winter. Generally, secondary roofing material coverage is required on the floor slabs to make up for the shortcomings, which increases additional costs and construction difficulties.

Today, the method of using prefabricated floor slabs has been eliminated in house building, and it has been replaced by frame structures and reinforced concrete structures, further improving safety and quality. Unless there is a severe lack of funds, it is recommended to use cast-in-place concrete roofs for self-built rural houses.