FLOORS

The primary functions of floors are

01. Provide a level surface with sufficient strength to support the imposed leads of people and furniture.
02. Exclude the passage of water and water vapor to the interior of the building
03. Provide resistance to unacceptable heat loss through the floor
04. Provide the correct type of surface to receive the chosen finish.

Type of floors

Solid floor on leveled site
Solid concrete bed laid over compacted hardcore
Sold floor on sloping site Suspended timber floor
Suspended timber floor

A domestic ground floor should have three components.

01. Hard core
This is a suitable filling material to make up the topsoil removal and reduced level excavations. It has a top surface, which could be rolled out to make sure that the cement grout is not lost. The top surface may be blinded with a sand or fine ash layer especially if the D.P. M is to be placed below the concrete bed.

02. Damp proof membrane
This is an impervious layer. The material could be polythene sheets, copper sheets, bitumen etc. This prevents moisture passing through the floor to the interior of the building.

03. Concrete bed
This provides solid level surface to which finishes or screeds could be applied.

A damp proof membrane in this position protects the concrete bed from the rising of dampness and salts.

There is a risk that the D. P. M may be damaged when the concrete is placing.

A D.P. M in this position is easier to incorporate in the floor but gives no protection to concrete bed against rising of dampness.

	Flooring		Timber flooring
			Sheet flooring
			Tile flooring
			Jointless floors

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