What you will learn: • Solid and suspended floors • Factors to be considered when selecting floor coverings • Classification of flooring • Hard flooring • Semi-hard flooring • Soft flooring
Flooring is one of the more expensive finishes for the home interior. It is often a permanent fixture that is difficult to change, therefore, it is important to choose flooring wisely.
Solid and suspended floors Floors may be solid or suspended.
Solid floors
A solid concrete floor is usually found on the ground floor of a house. It consists of:
• a hard core base with a layer of damp-proof course/membrane on top
• a concrete slab followed by a layer of insulation
• a thin, smooth layer of concrete or screed poured on top
• flooring, e.g. tiles, is laid on top
Screed is a level layer of concrete with no hollows or bumps. It is suitable to lay a floor covering onto.
i L Suspended floors
A wooden, concrete or steel floor usually found on the first floor of a house. A wooden suspended upper floor consists of:
• joists of wood that are covered by wooden tongue-and-groove floorboards
• an air space between the joists that allows air to circulate, preventing dampness. A layer of insulating material can be inserted in the air space to conserve heat and absorb sound
• a layer of damp-proof course/membrane Wooden tongue-and-groove floorboards Tiles
Concrete/screed Insulation layer
Concrete slab Hard core base Damp-proof course/membrane ? Damp-proof course/membrane Did you know
Explain each of the following: • solid floors • suspended floors. (12) HL
424 Complete Home Economics
A damp-proof membrane prevents rising damp in a home. Rising damp causes walls to absorb moisture from the ground, resulting in black mould and peeling wall surfaces.
