Floor Construction

Question 1

Solid ground floor components

Concrete ground floor is typically consist of the following components:

Answer 1

• Hard-core - laid in 100 mm layers and well compacted
• Blinding - usually sand spread on top of the hard-core
• DPM - damp proof membranes and lapped into the horizontal DPC within walls
• Insulation – should always be above the DPM preferably under the four floor slab
• Oversight concrete - concrete placed in between the ground floor walls is known as oversight concrete
• Floor finish – e.g. tiles wood, flooring etc

Question 2

Building regulations – ground supported through-construction

Answer 2

Question 3

Traditional hollow timber floor construction diagram

Answer 3

Question 4

Hollow timber floor supported on metal joist hangers

Answer 4

Question 5

Potential problems may encounter when inspecting older properties with suspended timber floors

Answer 5

Question 6

Beam and block floor construction diagram:

Answer 6

Question 7

Beam and block floors:

Answer 7

Widely used since the 1980s, air bricks should’ve been included since 2004, these will not be present in a solid floor that can help identify the difference between the two

Question 8

Thermal bridges and how to avoid them in construction:

Answer 8

Question 9

Tanking solution for a new build property diagram:

Answer 9

Question 10

Retrofit tanking diagram:

Answer 10

Question 11

Drained tanking system diagram:

Answer 11