FLOORS

The primary functions of floors are

01. Provide a level surface with sufficient strength to support the imposed leads of people
and furniture.
02. Exclude the passage of water and water vapor to the interior of the building
03. Provide resistance to unacceptable heat loss through the floor
04. Provide the correct type of surface to receive the chosen finish.
Type of floors
Solid floor on leveled site
Solid concrete bed laid over compacted hardcore
Sold floor on sloping site Suspended timber floor
Suspended timber floor

A domestic ground floor should have three components.

01. Hard core
This is a suitable filling material to make up the topsoil removal and reduced level
excavations. It has a top surface, which could be rolled out to make sure that the cement
grout is not lost. The top surface may be blinded with a sand or fine ash layer especially
if the D.P. M is to be placed below the concrete bed.
02. Damp proof membrane
This is an impervious layer. The material could be polythene sheets, copper sheets,
bitumen etc. This prevents moisture passing through the floor to the interior of the
building.
03. Concrete bed
This provides solid level surface to which finishes or screeds could be applied.
A damp proof membrane in this position protects the concrete bed from the rising of
dampness and salts.
There is a risk that the D. P. M may be damaged when the concrete is placing.
A D.P. M in this position is easier to incorporate in the floor but gives no protection to
concrete bed against rising of dampness.
Flooring

Timber flooring
Sheet flooring
Tile flooring
Jointless floors

FLOORING
Flooring can be grouped into four classes.
01.
02.
03.
04.

Timber flooring - very attractive finish

Sheet flooring - hygienic finish
Tile flooring - economical
Jointless floors - most hygienic

01. Timber Flooring

The form of Timber Flooring could be
i. Strip Flooring
ii. Wood Block Flooring
iii. Parquet Flooring
iv. Wood Mosaic Flooring
i.
Strip Flooring These are composed of narrow tongued & grooved
hardwood boards secret nailed to timber joists.
Widths are:
50mm
63mm
75mm
88mm
100mm
Generally these are laid parallel to the length of the room. It is a good
practice to leave open joints at every fifth or sixth board when flooring
with these.
ii.
Wood Block Flooring The sizes of these are 225 x 75mm or 300 x
75mm & the thickness is 25mm consecutive tiles are joined using
tongue & grove joints that are milled in the block. These are arranged
in four patterns.

Herring Bone

Basket Weave

Double Herringbone

Brick Bond

Wood blocks can only be laid at a leveled concrete floor with an

adhesive.

iii.
Parquet Flooring Looks similar to woodblocks. The reference is that
these are shorter, wider and thicker. The typical size is 250 x 50 x
6mm. These may have a dovetailed recess worked along the lower
edges into which the adhesive is squeezed when laying, to improve
the bond to the floor. Laying pattern could either be herringbone or
basket weave. Windsor pattern may also be there.

Windsor Pattern
iv.
Wood Mosaic Flooring These also look similar to Wood Block Flooring,
yet mosaics are very small. The sizes are 115 x 25 & the thickness is
10mm. These are arranged in Herringbone or Basket Weave pattern
and are mounted on aluminum foil to form panels of 450 x 450mm.
These are bonded to concrete or timber floors using adhesives.

Floors

Timber flooring
Sheet flooring
Tile flooring
Jointless floors

02. Sheet Flooring

i.

Linoleum Flooring
This is available as
Plain Linoleum - Uniformly colored material
Printed Linoleum - Pattern applied surface
Decorated Linoleum - This has marbled granite effects.
Inlaid Linoleum - Patterned flooring of separate areas of linoleum
Cork Carpet - This has cork granules Standard size of a roll is 1.88m x
28m.
The thickness varies from 2mm to 6mm.

ii.
Rubber Flooring
Both natural rubber and synthetic rubber flooring is available. The sizes
are 900mm wide rolls of 30m. The thickness varies from 3.5mm to
6mm. This has a sponge rubber backing and provides resistance to
airborne or impacts sound when laid on a concrete floor.
iii.
Sheet Vinyl Flooring
This is a very durable type of flooring, and resistant to acids, alkalis,
grease, solvents, fire electricity etc. This also is completely impervious.
This comes in 960, 1350 or 1800mm wide rolls of 11 - 28m lengths.
Sheets can be welded together either by being butted and heated or by
running a welding strip or the same materiel into a small gap left

between sheets.
03. Tile Flooring
Available types of tiles are thermoplastic, vinyl, asbestos, cork, clay, concrete and
terrazzo.
Thermoplastics are available in tile sizes of 300 x 300mm & 250 x 250mm. Vinyl asbestos
tiles are available in tile sizes of 300 x 300mm & 225 x 225mm.
Clay Tiles:
Available Types are,
i. Quarry Tiles
ii. Vitrified or semi-vitrified
iii. Ceramics
Quarry Tiles are coarser & heavier (250 x 250 & 300 x 300mm). Vitrified & semi-vitrified
tiles are made from more refined materials and are available in many different sizes.
Ceramic Tiles are made out of highly refined materials.
Tiles are bonded to floor using cement-sand mortar or cement based adhesives. After
laying the joints between tiles must be grouted.

04. Jointless Flooring

Most Jointless floors are trowel applied.
Ex: Granolithic Flooring
Terrazzo Flooring (Marble Aggregate & Cement Mortar)
Other available types of cement based flooring are,
Cement Rubber latex and cement resin emulsion.
Non cementitious flooring types are magnasite & Mastic asphalt.
Carpets
A vast range of types, materials and patterns of carpets are available. The standard
widths are 27", 36", 54", 7'6", 9'0", 10' 6", 12' 0", 13' 6" & 15'0". Carpets over 54" wide
are called broad loom. The length of a carpet does not exceed 25m.
Concrete & Terrazzo Tiles
These are available in 150 x 150 x 15mm up to 500 x 500 x 40mm.
WINDOWS
Types of Windows
Bay Windows
Picture
When treating this type of a window, think of the whole bay as a single unit.

Curtains

Nets / Sheers
Blinds

Use floor length curtains on a track. It should follow the line

of the windows to draw back to walls at the side of the
window during the day. In the night the curtains should cut
it off.
Track is to be mounted in the ceiling.
This could be an addition to floor length curtains or they
could be used instead of curtains. You can use sill length
windows to reveal either window seats.
Choose from Roller blinds, Roman blinds, Venetian blinds or
vertical louvers.

Bow Windows
Picture
Plan the treatment thinking of the whole bow as a single unit. Curtain and blinds should
be put as it is done with bay windows.
Horizontal Windows These are common in modern houses.
Curtains
If the window has its ends wide with side walls sill length
curtains are possible. If not use full length curtains on
decorated poles.
Nets / Sheers
With full length curtains nets or sheers could be mounted
inside the window frame.
Blinds

Following types of blinds could be used

Roller Blinds
Roman Blinds
Venetian Blinds
Vertical Louver Blinds
If it is needed have more than one blind side by side.

High Clerestory Type

Picture
These looks best uncurtained provided that there is no extra light coming in. If you need
to keep the light out try roller blinds or venetian blinds.
Types of Windows

Bay Windows
Bow Windows

Picture Windows
French Windows

Round Windows

Arched Windows

Casement Windows
Georgian Sash
Windows
Pairs of Windows
Uneven Pairs of
Windows

Semi Circular Window

Pivot Windows
Corner Windows
Dormer Windows

Round Windows
Picture
Evan the round window is best uncurtained. If needed to do so put in a fabric panel or a
Moroccan grille.
Casement Windows
Picture
These are usually outward opening and come in groups of two, three or four.
Curtains

Your curtains could be mounted inside the window

frame provided that the window is deep set. If you
prefer full length curtains, they could be mounted
outside the window frame on a decorative pole.
Mount inside the frame on an expending wire. Or else
you can use an invisible track.
Any type of blind could be fixed to a casement window.
The smaller the window simpler should be the blind.

Nets / Sheers
Blinds

Inward Opening Casements

Choose wooden shutters, which could be fixed into the outside wall. Or you can mount
nets / sheers on an expanding wire onto the window.
Georgian Sash Windows
Picture
Shutters
Curtains

Nets / Sheers
Blinds

Georgian windows still have shutters. They need not any

special treatments. Just paint them similar to any other
woodwork
Use floor length curtains. Mount them outside and above
the frame on invisible tracks or decorative poles. Sill
length curtains could be considered for windows with
deep frames.
Mount inside the frame with expending wire.
Roller blinds could be used.

Sky Light
Picture
Fix curtains on to window itself on expending wire or mount on decorative poles. If
needed use pleatex blinds, roller blinds or venetian blinds on special fixings.
Pairs of Windows
Treat the pair as a single unit.
Curtains
Nets / Sheers

Floor length curtains look best. Hang on a track across

the top of both windows on a decorative pole.
If your window has good frames, Fit the curtain inside
the frame. Otherwise run curtains above them.

Blinds

Use one of the followings

Roller Blinds
Roman Blinds
Pleatex
Vertical Louvers
Venetian Blinds
You can even fix fabric panels mounted on sliding
screens, which could be expensive.

Picture
Uneven Pairs of Windows
Treat them as a single unit.
Curtains

Nets / Sheers
Blinds

Invisible track or a decorative pole may be used. Use

full-length curtains. It should cover the whole when
drawn and should pull back well to each side when they
are opened.
These should double up with curtains.
Choose Roller blinds or Roman blinds.

Picture Windows
Picture
This is a modern type of window that reaches the floor. This could be used to provide
access to a garden etc.
Curtains
Nets / Sheers
Blinds
Shutters

A full-length curtain, which is mounted on a decorative

pole, may be used.
Not recommended for opening picture windows. But
could be doubled with curtains.
Mount the blinds in sets of two inside the window frame.
Use Roman blinds or Roller blinds.
Full-length fold back or slide back panels could be used.

French Windows
Picture
These are a type of tall window that reach the floor. If you have a complex of few doors
and windows treat them as a single unit.
Curtains
Blinds
Shutters

Mount curtains on an extended pole or track above the window

so that they could be drawn back against the wall.
Mount above doors and windows. Use Roller blinds, Roman
blinds or pinoleum blinds.
If the complex is neatly designed and finished shutters could be
folded back into the sides of the frame.

Arched Windows
Picture

These windows look better without curtains or blinds. But if you are using them try to
avoid covering the curved top.
Curtains

Use sill length or floor length curtains. Mount them on an

invisible track or on a decorative pole, well above the top
of window.
Nets / Sheers These are not suitable for arched windows.
Blinds
Fix a set of Roller blinds to the sill. Use a cord and pull to
pull them up.
Shutters
Shutters should be custom made. Shatters with a semi
circular part on top can fold against the wall by day and
close over the window at night. If your window looks poor,
fix a shaped screen of perforated hardboard in front of the
window with a light behind.
Semi Circular Window
Picture
These are best left alone. If it disturbs your privacy use sandblasted glass. Windows with
Sloping Top Picture A sloping ceiling usually causes these.
Curtains
Nets /
Sheers
Shutters

Hang curtains from top horizontal line, on invisible track or a

decorative pole. Leave the top bare.
Not advisable if windows are opened and shut frequently.
Blinds Lear the top bare. Use Roman blinds, Roller blinds or
venetian blinds. Vertical louvers could be fixed to corer the
entire window.
Shutters should be custom made in two ports. One part
should cover the rectangular portion and the other part
should cover the rest.

Pivot Windows
Picture
With these total privacy is impossible. Treat them as cash or casement window.
Horizontal Pivots Fix the curtains to the pivoting window on rods or
expending wire, so that the curtain too opens with the
window.
Blinds
Fix a pleatex blind to the top and the bottom of
pivoting window.

Corner Windows
A pair of windows meets at the corner leaving minimum space in between.
Picture
Curtai Mount on an invisible tract above the window. Floor length curtains
ns
are suitable. Allow it to draw back to the outside edges of windows.
Blinds Use vertical louvers only.

Dormer Windows
Picture

Treat as casement windows if the sides are not glazed. Tracks or blind fittings should be
fitted inside the frame. Nets or sheers could be mounted or double track with curtains. If
sides are glazed leave the window bare.