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Detail Post: Floor Details

The following post includes excerpts from our book
Understanding Architectural Details – Residential.

Introduction to Floor Details

The most common materials used for the construction of
ground and upper floors tend to be concrete or timber.
Required span, resistance to passage of sound, and fire
resistance will often be factors to consider when deciding
which material to use in floor design.
The Building Regulations in the UK provide guidance on
roof design. You can find the Building Regulations here.

Types of Ground Floors

Concrete Floors

There are two types of concrete floor system commonly

used in residential construction; ground bearing and
suspended. Ground bearing floors, where the concrete slab
is supported by the ground below. Suspended concrete
floors do not rely on the ground below, but instead are
supported by the external walls and therefore the
foundations below.
Ground Bearing Concrete Floor
The ground bearing concrete floor slab is supported by the
load bearing strata below. The slab abuts but is not tied to
the external walls. The build up of this type of system can
typically be:

Hardcore fill to compacted to create suitable level (approx

200mm thick)
Damp proof membrane (DPM), often laid over sand
binding
Rigid floor insulation (can be position above or below the
concrete slab)
Concrete floor cast in situ
Floor screed if required, followed by floor finishes

There are many different options for positioning of damp

proof membrane and insulation which can be seen in the
following details.
Ground bearing concrete slab detail

Ground bearing concrete slab detail

Suspended Concrete Floor

Suspended concrete floors have become popular in UK

house construction. They are typically used in situations
such as sloping sites, the ground has poor bearing capacity,
or there is likelihood of ground volume change. Suspended
floors are also used when the water table is high, or when
aggressive chemicals are present in the soil that may attack
the concrete slab.

The ground floor is made up of suspended concrete slab or

beam and block floor, supported by the external and internal
load bearing walls, which transfer the loads to the
foundations below. Both pre-cast concrete planks or slabs
can be used, as well as cast in situ reinforced slabs along
with beam and block systems.

Beam and block floor

These systems use concrete T beams that span between

the walls, concrete infill blocks are then inserted between
the beams to provide a solid base for the concrete topping
or screed that is spread and levelled over the concrete units.
Depth of the beams is between 130mm and 250mm and is
determined by the span required, and the loads to be
supported.
Beam and block floor detail

Beam and block floor detail

Damp Proof Membrane (DPM)

Concrete is not impervious to water and it is therefore

necessary to protect the floor with a water resistant barrier
to prevent moisture penetrating the building from the
ground. This barrier is a damp proof membrane usually in
the form of a thin sheet of polythene or polyethylene,
although bitumen in various forms can also be used.

The membrane position varies according to the type of floor

construction selected. If the membrane is positioned below
the concrete slab, it is placed over the hardcore on a sand
blinding to protect it from damage. The edges of the
membrane are turned up the sides of the external walls so
that it overlaps the damp proof course. When using rigid,
impermeable insulation, it is prudent to use a vapour control
layer on the warm side of the insulation (or position DPM on
warm side of insulation) to minimise the possibility of
interstitial condensation. While concrete does offer a good
level of natural resistance, poor workmanship can
sometimes result in the passing of vapour through the
structure. Likewise, if a timber floor is being used, it is
important to install a vapour control layer under the timber
floor.

Damp Proof Course (DPC)

A DPC acts as a barrier to the passage of moisture into the

structure, be it upwards in wall foundations, downwards in a
parapet or horizontally in a window jamb. Generally made
from dense polythene, the DPC should not penetrate the
cavity, unless weep holes are provided that can direct water
away from the cavity. In a traditional masonry cavity wall the
DPC is laid in two separate strips, one internal and one on
the external leaf, 150mm minimum above external ground
level. The DPC should be lapped with the DPM to provide a
good joint and prevent moisture tracking between them.
Timber Floors

Although timber ground floor construction used to be a

popular method, today it is not as common as the concrete
alternatives. A suspended timber floor is constructed as a
timber platform of boards nailed across timber joists
supported on sleeper walls, and the external and internal
load bearing walls surrounding them.

Ventilation must be provided throughout the underfloor void

and through any sleeper walls with cross ventilation. Due to
airtightness, acoustic and sometimes structural
requirements of the Building Regulations, joist ends tend to
be supported by joist hangers rather than being built into
external or sleeper walls.

The floor is insulated in the form of rigid insulation between

joists, or quilt between joists supported by netting.
Floorboards are fixed over the floor joists and insulation,
usually in the form of plywood, chipboard or OSB to required
structural performance. These boards are then applied with
a floor finish, such as carpet, vinyl and so on.
Suspended timber floor detail
Underfloor heating floor details
Here are a couple of details options for underfloor heating.

Underfloor heating in screed detail

Underfloor heating in screed detail
Underfloor heating timber floor detail
Notes from the Building
Regulations on Roofs

General Requirements – Floors

The following information is a partial list of requirements

from the Building Regulations Approved Documents – for full
and detailed explanations and requirements please consult
the full publications.

Construction

The building shall be constructed so that the combined

dead, imposed and wind loads area sustained and
transmitted by it to the ground:
safely
without causing such deflection or deformation of any part
of the building as will impair the stability of any part of
another building.

(Approved Doc A1)

The building shall be constructed so that ground movement

caused by:
swelling, shrinkage or freezing of the subsoil
landslip or subsidence
will not impair the stability of any part of the building

(Approved Doc A2)

Fire Precautions
As a fire precaution, the spread of flame over the internal
linings of a building and the amount of heat released from
internal linings shall be restricted;
all load bearing elements of structure of the building shall
be capable of withstanding the effects of fire for an
appropriate period without loss of stability;
ideally the building should be subdivided by elements of
fire-resisting construction into compartments;
all openings in fire-separating elements shall be suitably
protected in order to maintain the integrity of the continuity
of the fire separation;
any hidden voids in the construction shall be sealed and
subdivided to inhibit the unseens spread of fire and
products of combustion, in order to reduce the risk of
structural failure, and the spread of fire.

(Approved Doc B3)

Precautions against moisture

The floors on the building shall adequately protect the

building and people who use the building from harmful
effects caused by:
ground moisture
precipitation
interstitial and surface condensation
spillage of water from or associated with sanitary fittings
or fixed appliances.

All floors next to the ground, walls and roof shall not be
damaged by moisture from the ground, rain or snow and
shall not carry that moisture to any part of the building that it
would damage.
Protection against contaminants
All new buildings, extensions and conversions, which are
built in areas where there may be high radon emissions,
may need to incorporate precautions against radon.
(Approved Doc C)

Airborne and Impact sound

Dwellings shall be designed so that the noise from domestic

activity in an adjoining dwelling (or other parts of the
building) is kept to a level that:
does not affect the health of the occupants of the dwelling
will allow them to sleep, rest and engage in their normal
activities in satisfactory conditions

(Approved Doc E1)

Dwellings shall be designed so that any domestic noise that

is generated internally does not interfere with the occupants
ability to sleep, rest and engage in their normal activities in
satisfactory conditions.
(Approved Doc E2)

Domestic buildings shall be designed and constructed so as

to restrict the transmission of echoes.
(Approved Doc E3)

Ventilation

There shall be adequate means of ventilation provided for

people in the building (Approved Doc F)

Conservation of fuel and power

Reasonable provision shall be made for the conservation of
fuel and power in buildings by:
limiting heat gains and losses through thermal elements
and other parts of the building fabric,
from pipes ducts and vessels used for space heating,
space cooling and hot water services.
providing fixed building services which are energy efficient
and have effective controls and are commissioned by
testing and adjusting as necessary to ensure they use no
more fuel and power than is reasonable in the
circumstances.

(Approved Doc L)

GENERAL NOTES:

Suspended timber floors must:

Ensure the ground is covered so as to resist moisture and
prevent plant growth.
Have a ventilated air space between he ground covering
and the timber.
Have a damp proof course between the timber and any
material which can carry moisture from the ground

Floors that separate a dwelling from another dwelling shall

resist the transmission of airborne sounds. Floors above a
dwelling that separate it from another dwell shall resist:

the transmission of impact sound (such as speech, music,

loudspeakers and impact sources such as footsteps or
furniture moving)
the flow of sound energy through walls and floors
the level of airborne sound
 Understanding Architectural Details Residential

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 1 Comment
Mary Takawi on March 24, 2020 at 2:27 pm
Reply
Great post, thank you for sharing that!

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