Mick Scherdel, HML Lecture 4

Mick Scherdel, HML Lecture 4

Today’s lecture by Mick was on flooring.

Types of floor finishes;

  • terrazzo
  • granite
  • ceramic tyle
  • timber boarding
  • entrance matting
  • laminate
  • sports flooring
  • vinyl
  • non-slip vinyl
  • carpet
  • resin
  • linoleum
  • conglomerate
  • rubber
  • marble/natural stone
  • concrete

Properties to consider when designing floors

  • fire
  • acoustics
  • services – heating/lighting/ventilation
  • roman underfloor heating
  • thermal insulation
  • structural stability and loading
  • maintenance
  • impact resistance and durability

Floor structures

  • timber

– advantages; lightweight, adaptability, flexibility, prefabrication, cost.

– disadvantages; labour intensive, short spans/structure, deflection/rigidity, no thermal mass

  • precast concrete
  • insitu concrete

– advantages; weather resistance, security, structural stability, infinite size and shape, self finished, fire protection, robustness/impact

– disadvantages; labour intensive, wet trades, adaptability, health and safety, flexibility to change, impact sound transfer, environment, hygiene

  • steel

– advantages; weather resistance, speed of erection, lifespan, prefabrication, texture and profiles, size and shape

– disadvantages; fire protection, no thermal mass, adaptability, flexibility, costs, acoustics

  • glass

– advantages; prefabrication, hygiene, high precision, size and shape, visibility and aesthetics

– disadvantages; cost, maintenance, secondary support, robustness/impact, fire protection, security, thermal mass, privacy, acoustics

  • raised access floors

Floor abutment details

Floor junction details

  • sheet flooring to hygienic PVC wall cladding junction
  • carpet tile to painted concrete floor junction
  • sheet flooring finish to concrete stair
  • carpet to sheet flooring junction with timber skirting detail
  • recessed entrance matwell to carpet tile with timber skirting detail