ᐅ Screed and metal flat ducts / Controlled residential ventilation system

Dear Forum,

Some acquaintances have flat ductwork made of sheet steel installed on the subfloor, with EPS insulation placed between them and a soundproofing layer on top. Now I wonder how the screed installer can manage not to step on the pipes and compress them. Is this type of installation common?

With plastic pipes (which we have), I would think they are more flexible and return to their original shape.

What are your thoughts?

Sheet metal does not bend easily and maintains its shape at all times. To deform it, you would have to deliberately jump on it or apply force by stepping on it heavily. The impact sound insulation and the underfloor heating effectively absorb and distribute the load, so the screed installer can walk on it without any issues.

This approach is quite common and considered standard for higher-quality installations.

oh, my mistake. They are probably galvanized ones from We*ta Fle* (Quadro*lex). (I’m not sure if product names are allowed to be spelled out).

That is exactly what I was referring to. The manufacturer is relatively unimportant in this context. The metal sheet components are generally standardized.

Yes, the impact sound insulation likely helps distribute the load more evenly. However, without it, they do appear quite "fragile." There are already some dents caused by workers walking around on the construction site without being careful, but according to the installer, those can still be pulled out.

If the craftsmen are not careful, even concrete elements and plastic pipes can get damaged. But that is not what we are discussing here.

It is assumed that the trade will be handed over without defects.