A PPT on Solid Ground Floors

1. Building Methods &
Construction Technology
Solid Ground Floors

2. Tutor Copy

3. Ground Floors
There are two main types of ground floors:
• Solid floors.
• Hollow floors.
Concrete ground floors consist of the following
components, in order:
• Hardcore • Blinding
• DP membrane • Site concrete
• Insulation • A floor finish

4. Section Through a Solid Ground
Floor.
Ground level
Floor finish Insulation
Site concrete
Blinding
DP membrane
Hardcore

5. Components and Sequence of
Building a Solid Ground Floor
Hardcore and blinding
Hardcore is used to provide a firm and
solid base on which to place the
concrete slab.
Blinding is usually building sand
spread on top of the hardcore to
provide an even bed and to prevent
any puncturing of the DPC membrane
by sharp pieces of hardcore.

6. The damp-proof membrane sheeting
should be laid on top of the blinding and
should lapped onto the horizontal DPC of
the brickwork to form a continuous
membrane.
Ground level DP Membrane laid onto blinding and
lapped into the internal brickwork
Blinding sand
Hardcore

7. Compaction of hardcore
Hardcore should be laid in 100mm layers
maximum, and each layer should be well
compacted and consolidated. This should
prevent any unacceptable settlement beneath
the finished solid
floor.
The main item of
small plant which is
used to compact
hardcore is a Plate
Compactor.

8. Insulation
Insulation should always be laid above the DPM
membrane preferably
under the floor slab, or
alternatively under the
floor finish. If it is not it
could cause the
insulation to become
damp which will impair
its performance.
The Building Regulations require ground floors to be
insulated to prevent heat loss. There are several
types of insulation available such as expanded
polystyrene and rigid foam insulation.

9. Insulation
positioned below
the floor finish
Insulation
positioned below
the floor slab
Ground level
Ground level
Floor finish
Floor finish Insulation
Insulation
Site concrete
Site concrete
DPM
DPM
Blinding
Blinding
Hardcore
Hardcore

10. Oversite concrete
The concrete placed in between the ground floor
walls is known as ‘oversite concrete’. The
brickwork or blockwork on the internal walls acts
as shuttering for the concrete. Oversite concrete
should be at least 100mm thick.