2. INTRODUCTION
• A Floor is the bottom surface of a room or vehicle.
• Flooring is the general term for a permanent covering of a floor. It is also the surface that goes
through the most wear and tear, and that's why choosing the right material is of utmost importance.
• A variety of materials are used to construct the floor. It is very important to choose an appropriate
and reliable material to create an attractive floor for your home.
Functional Requirements of Floors in Building Construction
• Strength and stability
• Resistance to weather and ground moisture
• Durability and free from maintenance
• Fire resistance
• Resistance to passage of heat
• Resistance to passage of sound
3. Strength and Stability
• Floor strength depends on the properties of material such
as timber, reinforce concrete, and steel that are employed to
construct the structure of the floor.
• The strength of floor structure should be adequate to carry
dead load of the floor, finishes, fixtures, partitions, services
and expected imposed loads of occupants. (Design loads for
building can be found in both Minimum design loads for buildings
and other structures (ASCE/SEI 7-10) and BS 6399: Part 1)
• In addition to other codes. Reinforced concrete floor, which might be used for providing strength
and fire resistance, will be suitable for cases where we have long spans and large imposed loads.
With regard to stability of floors, the stiffness of floor should be enough to make the floor stay
stable and level under its self weight and expected dead and live loads.
• The deflection of the floor must be adequately restricted and kept small to prevent cracking of
rigid finishing. Finally, Basement and solid ground floors stability are based on properties of concrete
under them.
• For small domestic building concrete without reinforcement might be enough but for large loads like
heavy equipment or machinery reinforced concrete slab is needed. Additionally, suspension reinforced
concrete slabs are necessary on shrinkable soil against soil differential contraction of expansion,
specifically in situations where deep rooted trees are close to the site.
4. Resistance of Floors to Weather and Ground Moisture
• Building ground floor specifically heated building is likely to
encourage rising the moisture below the ground and make
the floor wet slightly which feels cold and dissatisfying.
Therefore, more heating may be required to create desired
comfortable condition.
• There are various factors which affect the moisture
penetration level from the ground to the floor includes the
nature of subsoil, water table, and whether the site is
horizontal or sloping.
• There is small amount of moisture penetration into the
ground if the base is gravel or coarse grain sand because
water table level is below the surface during the whole year;
in this case, concrete slab is suitable solution to resist
moisture penetration.
• However, on a clay base, an appreciable amount of moisture will penetrate from the ground to the
floor because water table is near to the surface. The latter can be tackled by concrete slab plus water-
tight membrane which can be place under, on, or in the slab.
5. Durability of Floors and Free from Maintenance
• Generally, water tight ground floors on solid base and suspended floors secured by walls and roof
must be durable for the life of the structure and require slight maintenance, repair or improvement.
The durability and free from maintenance of floors are rely on the nature of materials applied and the
wear they are exposed to.
Fire Resistance of Floors
• Floors should withstand fire for enough period during which the occupant can get out of the building.
ACI 216.1-7 (Code Requirements for Determining Fire Resistance of Concrete and Masonry
Construction Assemblies) determines rating of fire resistance that begin from an hour to 4 hours which
based on the types of aggregate and the thickness of concrete cover. Lastly, reinforced concrete floors
combat fire for longer period compare with timber floors.
Resistance to Passage of Heat
• Floors have to withstand heat release in situation that there are large air temperature differences on
both opposite sides of the floor. Ground floor can be constructed in a way that prevents heat transfer
from the floor to the ground or from ground to the floor by applying hardcore and a damp-proof
membrane. The damp-proof membrane, which can be placed on, under, or sandwiched in the
concrete under the floor, will avoid floor damping and cold feeling. This will lead to decline heat that is
necessary to make comfortable condition and decrease transfer of heat. If under floor heating is
employed, it is fundamental to apply a layer of heat insulation around the edge and below the floor
slab to reduce heat transfer to the ground.
6. Resistance to Passage of Sound
It is considerably significant that upper floors, which separate dwellings, work as barrier and prevent
transmission of sound. Reinforced concrete floor work better in preventing transmission of airborne
sound compare to low mass timber floor. That is why reinforced concrete floor can be effectively used
to separate residents. Moreover, lightweight insulating material or dense material can be used for filling
the spaces between timber joists to enhance sound resistance of timber floors. It is worth mentioning
that using reinforced concrete floor with reasonable increase in cost will be more effective compare to
timber floors which requires extra cost to reduce sound transmission by filling spaces between joists.
However, if the floor of existing buildings is timber then, filling joists of the timber with lightweight or
dense material is the only solution to enhance sound insulation. Impact sounds can be decline
considerably and effectively by applying floor covering, for example, carpet or a resilient sheet under
the surface of the floor. The resilient layer will diminish the sound of footstep in either a reinforced
concrete floor or a timber floor. Furthermore, the sound mitigation used for the timber and reinforced
concrete floors do not tackle airborne sound which will be reflected and might amplify to a level that is
not tolerable. The sound absorption of ceiling could be improved by choosing an absorbent acoustic tile
or panel finishes. Read More: Live Loads for Different Buildings Floors and Structures
7. Type of Flooring
Mud Floor:
• Earthen Flooring also commonly known as Adobe flooring is
made up of dirt, raw earth or other unworked ground materials.
In modern times, it is usually constructed with mixture of sand,
clay and finely chopped straw.
• Mud flooring is commonly constructed in villages where by
using stabilizers the properties of the soil are enhanced by
manipulating its composition by adding suitable stabilizers. The
tensile and shear strength of the soil is increased and
shrinkage is reduced.
Suitability:
• These floors are not prepared in commercial or professional buildings but only in residential buildings
in rural areas where the cheapest and easiest option is selected. The mud flooring is easy to
maintain, remains warm in winter and cold in summer and hence it is most suitable for places where
the temperature is extreme during these seasons
8. Brick Flooring
• Brick flooring is one of the types of floors whose topping is of brick.
These are easy to construct and repair but the surface resulting from
these is not smooth and is rough, hence, easily absorbs and retains
moisture which may cause dampness in the building.
Method of Construction of Brick Floor:
• For constructing a brick floor, the top surface of earth or murram
filling is properly consolidated. Over this compacted earth, a layer of
clean sand about 10 cm thick is evenly spread. Then a layer of lime
concrete (1:4:8) or lean cement concrete (1:4:16) is laid, compacted
and cured. Over this base concrete well soaked bricks are laid in
cement mortar (1:4) in any suitable bond. In case pointing is to be
done, the minimum thickness of joints should not exceed 2 mm and
and the mortar in joints is struck off with a trowel. When the pointing
is to be done, the minimum thickness of joints is kept 6mm and the
pointing may be done.
Suitability:
• The floors are suitable for stores, godowns etc.
9. Tile Floor
• The floor whose topping is of tiles is called tile floor. The tiles used
may be of any desired quality, color, shape or thickness.
Method of construction of Tile Floor:
• For constructing a tile floor, the base course is prepared in the same
manner as in case of brick flooring.Over the base course thus
prepared, a thin layer of lime or cement mortar is spread with the
help of screed battens. Then the screeds are properly leveled and
fixed at the correct height. When the surface mortar has hardened
sufficiently, the specified tiles are laid on a 6 mm thick bed of wet
cement mortar.(1:5). The surplus mortar which comes out of the
joints is cleaned off. After 3 days, the joints are well rubbed a
carborundum stone so as to smoothen the surface, specially the
edges.
Suitability:
• These floor are used for paving courtyard of buildings. Glazed tiles
floors are used in modern buildings where a high class building is
desired.
10. Flagstone floor:
• The floors whose topping consists of stone slabs is called flagstone
floor. The stone slabs used here may not be of the same size but
should not be more than 75 cm length and not less than 35 cm in
width and 3.8 cm in thickness.
Method of construction of Flagstone Floor:
• Flagstone Floor
• For constructing a flagstone floor, the same method is applied as in
case of tile floor. The slabs are soaked well in water at least one
hour before laying. They should be evenly and firmly bedded in
mortar. The thickness of joints should not exceed 4mm and they
should be struck off with a trowel while laying.
Suitability:
• These type of flooring are suitable in go-downs, motor sheds, stores,
pavements etc.
11. Cement concrete floor:
• The types of floors whose topping consists of cement concrete is called cement concrete floor or
conglomerate floor. These floors consists of 2.5 cm to 5cm thick concrete layer laid over 10 cm thick
base concrete and 10 cm thick clean sand over ground whose compaction and consolidation is done.
These floors are commonly used these days.
• Following are the advantages of concrete floors:
• They are hard & Durable.
• Provide a smooth & non absorbent surface.
• They are more fire resistant.
• They provide more sanitary surface as they can be cleaned & washed easily.
• They are economical as they require negligible maintenance cost.
• They can be finished with a pleasing appearance.
• Types of cement concrete floors:
• Non-Monolithic or bonded floor finish floor.
• Monolithic floor finish floor.
12. Granolithic Flooring
• Granolithic flooring is same as cement concrete flooring, except
that the finishing layer. This layer is done with a granolithic finish
which is cement concrete made of a specially chosen aggregate.
• The granolithic finish makes the floor hard, abrasion-resistant, and
durable. The granolithic concrete layer thickness should not be
less than 13 mm.
• It is necessary to obtain the coarse aggregate from hard fine
granite, basalt, limestone or quartzite.
• A mix 1:1:2 is appropriate for the granolithic finish when the
granolithic topping thickness is between 13 mm and 40 mm. The
finish should be laid in one layer and monolithic with the base.
• It should be laid in two layers if the thickness exceeds 40 mm. The
top layer is placed when the bottom layer remains in a plastic
state.
• It is preferred if crushed aggregate is used to get granolithic finish.
Sometimes, granulated aggregate is used as coarse aggregate.
13. Method of Granolithic Flooring Construction
• For the construction of granolithic flooring, first of all, the base concrete, which is 2.5 cm thick cement
concrete over 10 to 15 cm of lean cement or lime concrete, is laid and consolidated before laying the
topping.
• It is necessary to finish the top surface of this base in such a way as to create the required bond
between the base course and the topping.
• Granolithic concrete is prepared in a proportion of 1:1:2 by mixing cement, fine aggregate and
specially chosen aggregate, and laying the topping layer over the prepared base.
• Granolithic topping surface is allowed to be set for 7 days and the surface may then be rubbed to
obtain a good surface. The surface is kept wet while it is being rubbed.
