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1. Floors

2. Introduction
The purpose of a floor is to provide a level surface capable of supporting
the occupants of a building, equipment and sometimes internal partition.
To perform this function the following requirement must satisfy:
a. Adequate strength and stability b. Adequate fire resistance
c. Sound insulation d . Damp resistance
e. Thermal insulation
The floors resting directly on the ground surface are known as ground floors,
while the other floors of each storey situated above the ground level are
known as upper floors.
The major problems floor encounter:
1. Damp exclusion 2. Thermal insulation

3. Components of floor
• Sub-floor, base course or floor base
Object:
 to give proper support to the covering, so that it does not settle
 to provide the damp resistance and thermal insulation
• Floor covering or simply, flooring: different floors

4. Solid ground floor:
Floors directly resting on ground is called solid floor
Suspended floors:
Floors supported above the ground level are called suspended floors,
Major materials for construction
1. Cement concrete
2. Lime concrete
3. Stones
4. Bricks
5. Wooden clocks (for wooden floor only)

5. The material used for Floor finish or floor covering are:
1. Mud or mooram 9. Granolithic finish
2. Bricks 10. wood or timber
3. Flag stones 11. Asphalt
4. Concrete 12. Rubber
5. Terrazzo 13. Linoleum flooring
6. Mosaic 14. Cork
7. Tiles 15. Glass
8. Marble 16. Plastic or PVC

6. Selection of flooring material
• Initial cost: depends on the type of building; eg- marble being very
costly is used only for residential buildings
• Appearance: pleasing appearance; should produce desired color
effect
• Cleanliness: capable of being cleaned easily; should be non-
absorbent; should have resistance against absorption of oil, grease
etc.
• Durability: sufficient resistance to wear and tear, temperature
damages, disintegration with time and decay
• Damp resistance: should offer against dampness

7. • Sound insulation- should not be such that noise is produced when users
walk on it
• Thermal insulation
• Fire resistance
• Smoothness- should have even surface; should not be slippery
• Hardness- should be sufficiently hard so as to resist marks, imprints etc.
• Maintenance- should require least maintenance; repairs can be done
easily

8. Cement concrete flooring
Application: Commonly used for residential, commercial and industrial building
Merits: 1. moderately cheap
2. quite durable
3. easy to construct
Components: It consists of 2 parts
a. Base concrete
b. topping or wearing surface
Method of construction : 2 methods can be constructed
i. Monolithically
ii. Non monolithically

9. Monolithic: Construction takes place simultaneously, that is both the
base course component and topping construction immediately after
the other
Merits: 1. Good bond between the two components
2. Thickness of the floor can reduced (economic)
Demerits: 1. there is chance of topping is damages during subsequent
operations
2. Hair cracks are developed because of settlement of freshly laid
base course which is not set
3. Work progress is slow because of the workman has to wait atleast
till the initial setting of the base course
Keeping the problems, most cases, non-monolithic construction is
preferred.

10. Non – monolithic:
Base course thickness – 7.5 to 10 cm thick – lean cement concrete (1:3:6),
- Course aggregate size is 40mm
- It shall be laid over well compacted soil, compacted properly and leveled to rough surface.
- It is properly cured
Topping:
- Base course shall be hardened
- Cleaned with stiff broom
- Before making the topping it shall properly wetted
- Topping then laid in square or rectangular panels
- Panel size may be 1m x 1m, 2m x 2m
- It consists of concrete (1:2:4)
- Cement slurry pasted at the bottom of panel and base course for good bond
- After surface is properly cured 7 to 14days

11. Mosaic Flooring:
A Mosaic consists of many small pieces of stone
arranged to form a design or picture and are
common in cultural and religious centres.
It made of small pieces of broken tiles of china
glazed or of cement or of marble
This will be arranged in different pattern
Prepared concrete base, place the marble
powder and cement slurry paste
After keep the pieces of marbles or glass or
broken tiles
Then surface is gently rolled
Level the surface and use the polishing
machine

12. Marble Flooring:
 It is superior type of flooring
 Used where extra cleanliness is essential requirement
 Used in residential buildings, hospitals, sanitariums, temples etc.
 It will come in different sizes, usually rectangular and square shapes
 Prepared base course 20mm thick bedding mortar (1:4) placed
 Marble slabs are laid over it
 Thinner joints shall be maintained
 Level the all marble slabs and then use the polishing machines for
trim the oozing cement slurry joints

13. Terrazzo Flooring
Terrazzo consists of marble or other stone aggregate set in mortar and
ground and polished to a smooth surface

14. Flagstone flooring
Flagstone is a sedimentary rock that is split into layers along bedding
planes. Flagstone is usually a form of a sandstone composed
of feldspar and quartz.

15. Linoleum flooring
It is covering which is available in rolls. It is spread directly on concrete
or wooden flooring.
It is manufactured by mixing standardised linseed oil in gum, resins
pigments, wood flour, and other filler materials
These are normally 2 to 6mm thick; plain or printed.