A floor is basically the walking surface of a room. More than just a walking surface, it also adds to the aesthetic appearance of the interiors of a room. Floors can be made using different materials. They usually consist of a subfloor for support and on top of it, a floor covering for a good walking surface. Wiring, plumbing, and other such services can be incorporated in the sub-floor. Sometimes a capping made of concrete is applied over the sub-floor to install tiles, or radiant floor heating pipes. Floors are built following strict building codes to meet many needs.
Floor Structures
There are 3 types of floor structures used generally in modern construction. They are listed below.
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Framed floors are the most commonly installed floor structure. It consists of dimensioned wood supported by floor joists, interior and exterior load bearing beams or walls. Floor joists are placed 16 inches apart generally. The perimeter is finished when the floor joists are nailed to rim and trimmer that are installed. Floor joists are prevented from moving by installing ‘bracing’ as strapping. Another method to prevent these turnings is by glueing the sub-floor to the joists. It is allowed for the electricians and plumbers to cut or drill into joists to install utilities as long as materials that are required by codes are not removed. Framed floors are cheapest to install.
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Truss floors are made from small dimensioned wood that are interconnected to a webwork pattern by using wood or metal plates. The trusses may be built on site by using plywood plates to interconnect the webwork together. They are either installed with rim joists or plywood trim or suspended on beams or bearing walls with a gap of 24 inches. To prevent the joists from turning, a strapping is places on the bottom.
Truss floors span more area than framed floors and can be designed for spanning an entire building thus eliminating center load bearing supports. They are more expensive than framed floor assemblies but provides strong floor with less bounce and deflection to it. Another advantage is that, between the webwork components, wirings and other utilities can be installed. Truss floors shouldn’t be aloowed to be cut and drilled into since thet are manufactured precisely only for loading conditions expected throughtout the life of a building.
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Manufactured joist is a relatively new product. It is manufactured into the shape of I-beam or similar steel beams from low cost materials for use in large buildings. This means that the top and bottom edges of the joist are thicker and interlocking aspenite verticals spans the ends. Manufacturing joists are very strong and are capable of spanning the entire width of the building. The disadvantage is that they require special hanger systems for the joists so that they can be hung against beams/bearing walls or from each other.
Manufactured joist systems are becoming popular due to the facts that they reduce labour time, are relatively cheap and provide adequate support. But professionals need to be hired for its installation since is installed poorly, joists may suffer from structural damages.
Sub-floor is the bottom-most layer on top of which all other layers rest. Sub-floors cover and span the floor structure. The finished floor is placed over this. Sometimes a layer called underlay is places above sub-floor before placing the finished layer. Sub-floor allows load sharing within the joists, and also prevent torque or twisting forces on the building. There are three types of sub-flooring.
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Raw sheathing
Raw sheathings come in 4’x8′ sheers that are mostly installed as 3/4 inches thich plywood panels. They can be used to span a work space of 24 inches apart. Raw sheathing is placed on top of joints in such a manner that no two edge joints of joists line up with the adjoining sheets. It is easy to install and requires only less amount of labour.
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Interlocking sheathing
Interlocking sheathing panels are the commonly installed ones. The interlocking sheets come with a grove on one edge and the other end is long edged to interlock with a tongue. They can be installed easily by pounding or pushing the sheets together., and then screwing or nailing them to the joist work. It is the cheapest to install.
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Strip sheathing
Strip floors were the most popular type of sub-floors once. But it has become less utilized since the introduction of manufactured sheathing products. They are 1″x6″ or 1″x8″ boards, placed over joists diagonally. It is expensive compared to the other two sub-flooring techniques. It requires experienced tradesmen to install. It should contain high moisture content for proper installation and the wood will shrink as it becomes dry. This adds strength to the flooring system. Advantages of strip sheathing is that they are strong and long lasting. Due to the shrinking, there will be small gaps between individual planks and this might be disturbing to the home owners. But these gaps are not noticeable after completion. Through spacing and lapping of joints, strip floors can be interlocked.
Finished floors are the top most layer of a flooring system. This is the layer that we see and walk on. For home owners, this is one of the more important parts of a flooring system. The structure and functioning obviously matters, but the appearance and texture of a floor is what is visible after completion. Ceramic tile, Vinyl tile, wood strip, carpet etcetera are some of the floor finishes.
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Vinyl sheets are mostly used in kitchens, bathrooms, entryways, and laundry areas. They are available in a vast variety of colours, patterns and textures. It is a good choice in areas where there is tendency for water to accumulate. Maintenance costs are less and is fairly durable.
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Vinly tiles are similar to vinyl sheets but are more rigid. They are installed in a similar way as well but for proper installation skilled tradesmen are required. One advantage is that they can be installed over large areas without being worried about joint separation. It is also water resistent and can be easily cleaned. It is cheaper to install and is comparitively maintenance free.
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Ceramic tiles are lasts the longest out of all types of flooring and are commonly installed in entrances. They can be installed in bathrooms and kitchens as well but due to high installation cost, home owners don’t use ceramic tiles in these areas. Ceramic tiles can be set into a mortar bed , thin or heavy. Maintenance cost is very low but when wet, they can be slippery.
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Wood strip flooring
Wood strip flooring is one of the oldest methods of flooring which are popular even now. Wood strips are nailed or glued to the sub-floor. These strips are often finished before installation and require no applications of varnishes or sealers after installation. Wood strip flooring requires skilled labours and takes time to install. Wood strips are expensive but they result in a warm and durable surface that require very little maintenance. This method provides a strong floor with less deflection.
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Parquet tiles
Parquet tiles are installed commonly. They are square shaped interlocking wood strips that are glued together or held together using wires. The wood requires less maintenance and is often prefinished. They are cheaper compared to wood strip flooring an provides same warmth and durability.
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Carpet is, arguably, the most common floor finishings used in homes. It comes in different materials, colours and textures. Most times, an underpad of pressed foam is installed below it to add to the softness and provide a comfortable walking surface. Carpet can either be glued to the sub-floor or carpet tack can be used around the perimeter. A good carpet will have close weaves that will not show the backing material. By using high quality underlay with medium or low quality carpet, the cost can be reduced without cutting down the quality.
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