Hi, the house is Edwardian with the floors suspended on concrete/brick pillars and wooden joist of 150mm width. As nouns the difference between floor and ground is that floor is the bottom or lower part of any room; the supporting surface of a room while ground is (senseid)(uncountable) the surface of the earth, as opposed to the sky or water or underground. If you are doing it to improve the energy efficiency only, then intermediate level insulation will not have any value. E2/AS1 gives minimum heights of finished floor levels above ground for concrete slab floors and suspended timber floors, the measurements depending on whether there is grass or paving outside. Because the Floor is suspended above the ground, it should absorb less moisture than a solid floor. In recent years the use of suspended concrete floors has become common place normally in the commercial sector, but to a lesser degree, even in upper floors of domestic dwellings. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. A continuous damp proof course must be laid beneath the beams. Suspended concrete floors Typical block and beam floor Quick and cheap to install Inverted ‘ T’ shaped beams Concrete blocks placed in between them 7. Suspended ground floors – where the slab is supported on beams and/or loadbearing sleeper walls and is not in direct contact with the ground. There are a few ways to insulate a suspended floor, but the best, most breathable way is … The slabs needs to be of low conductivity material, so that the thickness of the insulation can be reduced. a "floating" floor has been installed; Gaps between flats. A: A structurally reinforced slab-on-ground uses a composite of concrete and structural steel to support the design load. The gap between joist is 300-350mm. Millions of properties have suspended timber ground floors globally, with around ten million in the UK alone. Cold ground floors NZS 3604:2011 has two options for the lateral support at the ends of floor joists for a suspend-ed floor on a pile foundation (see Figure 1a): A boundary joist 25 mm thick and the same depth as the joist. Suspended slab may be the most expensive compared to … Would you consider concrete slabs suspended as it will have positives of both builds. So we will discuss Concrete or Timber floor systems. Suspended concrete slab is referred to a cement slab that is not in contact with the ground. “ Upper/Suspended Floor” is any floor above the GL except the terrace or roof of building. Think we missed something? A concrete slab is a common structural element of modern buildings, consisting of a flat, horizontal surface made of cast concrete. Your email address will not be published. The cross-sectional area of the steel, the spacing of the steel and tensile … Thermal insulation is used for both ground bearing and suspended floors. A mezzanine (/ ˌ m ɛ z ə ˈ n iː n /; or in Italian, a mezzanino) is, strictly speaking, an intermediate floor in a building which is partly open to the double-height ceilinged floor below, or which does not extend over the whole floorspace of the building. The cross-sectional area of the steel is inserted into engineering formulae found in ACI 318 to determine the load carrying capacity for a given slab design. Suspended Timber Floor. Standard rigid board insulation is typically laid on top of the floor, with new flooring add above this. Suspended Concrete Slab. And the expression “getting in on the ground floor” means joining a venture at an early, advantageous time. The phrase “ground floor,” of course, refers to the floor of a building closest to the ground. A typical suspended floor is shown below in Fig 1 with the joists resting on sleeper walls at right angles. Suspended slabs differ from non-suspended slabs because they are suspended above the ground via beams. It is better to install the insulation during the building of the property because any retrofit is likely to cause issues with doorways and fixtures and fittings in the property. The floor right on top of the ground is called a ground bearing floor while everything else is suspended. There are two different types Supported slab on grade and monolithic slab on grade. It’s easier to run wires under the floorboards of a suspended timber floor, and because it doesn’t touch the ground, it will absorb less moisture from the earth so it limits structural damage from damp which is a benefit if your home is in an area with poor drainage. The answer to this is that it really depends on the reason for insulating. This insulates the floor, but still allows some air to circulate, preventing the timber from getting damp and rotting. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Slabs are also use to construct the floors which are known as the ‘floor slabs’. However this air flow can leave the problem of draughts and cold in the house if not insulated correctly. 26 Disadvantages: 1. The insulation must be strong and waterproof. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Floor insulation can get expensive, simply because how disruptive it is. A minimum void of 150mm must be provided between the soffit of the floor and the solum. Do you have a different opinion? Insulation is usually added only during major refurbishment work. This website uses cookies. Suspended timber floors need to have spaces underneath ventilated via air 'bricks' through the outer walls and gaps in any internal walls so that the air can move across the building underneath the floors to prevent the build up of moisture in the timber which could lead to fungal attack. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. A solid Floor is much simpler and cheaper. In older properties (pre 1910), air bricks were not always fitted - in such properties, they should be retro fitted where possible. Suspended floors are normally made up of 2 materials, either timber joists or a concrete beam system. Type 1: Suspended Floors Suspended timber floors are normally made up of timber joists Requires machinery to lift heavy beams Advantages: 1. This type of concrete slab construction requires different concrete slab design from the one we normally see that is cast on the ground. It is not possible to lay insulation underneath a solid floor, so any insulation will need to go on top. These days most homes are designed with concrete floors because damp proofing technology allows us to create a dry floor without an air gap. ... Safety Requirements for Work Platforms Suspended from Cranes or Derricks. Those with a Victorian home who have dared to look below the ground floor decking will notice that, in many cases, all that’s below is dirt. There are still be many suspended floors out there however, because retrofitting them is prohibitively expensive and often impractical. Slab on ground is the preferred option on a flat site due to speed and economies. Timber floors were originally designed to prevent damp. The cost will vary quite drastically depending on the complexity of the job and how much of a knock-on effect it is going to have, but you can be sure that most homes will cost thousands of pounds to retrofit. Raising the floor level up above the ground acts as a barrier to damp coming up from the ground. How to insulate suspended timber floors. Structural steel may be rebar or WWF. Solid floors are a lot more substantial and require the ground to be made up in layers of ground sub base, sand, compacted hard core, damp proof membrane, insulation and concrete. “Ground Floor” is just above GL & “ Basement Floor” is constructed below GL in one basement of a building. Unfortunately, a consequence of this is that the floors can be quite draughty, with air bricks required to keep the timber dry. Fig 2 shows the side view of the sleeper walls with the bricks arranged to allow air movement. We had the wet UFH put in between the joists with the insulation then the 18mm plywood. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Suspended slab under construction, with the formwork still in place. There are still be many suspended floors out there however, because retrofitting them is prohibitively expensive and often impractical. Air bricks through the outer walls, facilitate air movement. Temporary Roof & Floor Holes, Wall Openings, Stairways Safety Requirements for, & Other Unprotected Edges in Construction & Demolition Operations. Insulating a suspended timber floor can eliminate floor draughts and reduce heat loss through the fabric of the floor at the same time. Quick to construct 2. Beam and Block for Ground and Upper Floors Beam and Block for Ground Floors. If you can hear your neighbours easily and smells travel between flats then there is a possibility that there are gaps between ceilings and floors above that will also allow smoke through in case of fire. This allows air flow and ventilation to prevent the mould and dry rot that would otherwise occur over damp ground. There are a few ways to insulate a suspended floor, but the best, most breathable way is to hang insulation under the floorboards. out the requirements for suspended floors. A suspended timber floor on bearer's and joist's can sometime's be comparable cost wise on a flat site but is better suited if there's quite a bit to significant fall on the site. Furthermore, the insulation will help prevent heat moving from a room that has been heated to another where the heating is off. The ply spanned two/three joists and screwed down every 8-9 inches. The Old Engineer says: A beam on an elastic foundation (“slab on grade”) must be designed to withstand the maximum bending moment. Suspended timber floors need to have spaces underneath ventilated via air 'bricks' through the outer walls and gaps in any internal walls so that the air can move across the building underneath the floors to prevent the build up of moisture in the timber which could lead to fungal attack. ANSI/ASSP A10.31-2019 Safety Requirements, Definitions and Specifications for Digger Derrick. Unlike standard ground floor construction, suspended floors are not sitting directly on the ground. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. At least so far, dictionaries maintain the distinction between the two words. Buy our books at a local store, Amazon.com, or Barnes&Noble.com. If there is extensive refurbishment work happening however, it may be a good time to look at floor insulation. However, where the space between the concrete base and the floor is greater than 45cm, Fig 3 shows an alternative arrangement where the joists are supported in the inner wall, the size of joists is dependant on the span of the floor and there will be a limit on the span that can be accommodated but this is unlikely to cause an issue in a domestic property. Because of this cost, it is usually not worth it to insulate your floors. There are a couple of good reasons for insulating like this however: The insulation will act as a sound barrier helping to prevent noise travelling across the home. Comment below to get your voice heard…. What’s required to laterally support ends of floor joists? It rests on beams spanning between supporting walls. Upgrading floors changes the void conditions, which might increase or decrease moisture build-up and mould and fungal growth. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 2. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Block and beam floors are a very popular type of suspended floor. Ground : - Ground may refer to Earth's surface where the floor is build up. NZS 3604 sets a minimum height above ground for wood-based products used for flooring. Suspended slab formwork and rebar in place, ready for concrete pour. These cookies do not store any personal information. Slabs which are directly laid on the earth to support walls and other structural elements are called as Slab on grade or Grade Slabs. It consists of solid concrete built into the ground. That’s not acceptable these days and the need for a solid concrete oversite is one of the main reasons for this type of flooring system falling out of favour. Not only do they refer to the floor as the ground, but they call the ground the floor. A stepped air brick is shown just to illustrate an alternative to the straight style illustrated in Fig 1 - there's no advantage in either type although the stepped style may be required if there is a high external ground level. Any timber suspended floor should have insulation between the joists, in England and Wales the 2014 requirement was a U value of 0.11W/m2K for new build, 0.25W/m2K for refurbishments. These gaps may occur around pipes. Some types of concrete slabs may be more suitable to a particular site and climate zone than others. Different types of ground floor suspended flooring . You can also insulate from above using a similar method to a concrete floor, but a breathable insulation must be used along with a breathable membrane to ensure that the timber can breathe. However, it is important to note that the cavity between the concrete slab and the timber floor needs to be ventilated well or dry rot may occur. Floor levelness (F L) controls the departure of the floor surface from the specified slope or plane of the surface. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Floor is a see also of ground. Learn more about construction procedure with video explanation. © Copyright 2006-2020 practicalDIY.com - All rights reserved. In this blog, we are going to look at some of the implications of this type of house. Non-suspended slabs sit directly on the ground. The savings are actually fairly modest compared to insulating other parts of the home, like the walls and loft. Services. Because both the upstairs and downstairs are being heated, there is no heat transfer between levels and therefore no energy saving to be made. By continuing to use our website you agree to our Data Protection Policy, which you can view, From None to Current Building Regulations (Electric Heating). There are various pros and cons to these types of floor, some of which impact on the energy efficiency of the building and how you go about insulating them. First thing is that the slabs are the structural members generally made up of cement concrete or reinforced cement concrete. Floors vary from simple dirt in a cave to many-layered surfaces using modern technology. 1. Basement or ground floors – the concrete slab is directly supported onto a construction which may involve hardcore, blinding and other materials. There are two basic ways to make the floors of a building. Laying the insulation is cheap, but the costs soon stack up if you have to make alterations to the heights of doors, fitted cupboards, radiators and other parts of the home. In a structural concrete slab, the thickness of the slab is not a factor in determining the load carrying capacity of that slab. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. From a thermal comfort perspective, it does appear that feet are particularly sensitive to colder temperatures, so addressing floor draughts can help improve comfort levels. We often get asked whether you should insulate floors between levels, as well as the ground floor. The floor of any size of room can, in theory, be constructed using sleeper walls as the joists are supported along their length. Suspended Floor Suspended Floor: A suspended floor is one that is suspended above the ground. Difference Between : - Floor: - A floor is the walking surface of a room . You can either have a concrete base or a suspended floor, usually made out of timber. However, it is unknown what the floor void conditions are, nor the effect of insulating such floors. Ground Supported floors Solid ground of hardcore supports concrete floor Thick damp proof membrane placed under concrete with a layer of insulation Typical slab – 150mm with reinforcement Such floors are named as 1st Floor, 2nd Floor and so on (in ascending order). Floors may be stone, wood, bamboo, metal, or any other material that can hold a person's weight. If I find out anything more, I’ll put it on the blog, so stay tuned! You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. In old properties (1910 to 1980 ish), air bricks were often fitted just in the outer brick skin with a brick left out in the inner skin, thus the air brick vented both under the floor and the wall cavity, but modern regulations require the air brick to bridge the cavity and just ventilate under the floor. More expensive 2. 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