Floor Structure

This Section only applies if you are building a house with more than one floor, for example a two storey house.

The difference is that for this floor you do not need any hardcore fill or damp proof coursing. You have a few options available to you, which are:

1. The traditional timber beams, spanned across the inner walls to form a frame for the floor. Insulation is then placed inside the floor frame and then covered on top by chip board or plywood. This method is favoured by most trades people as it makes it easier for them to cut their pipes and wire’s into the timber. Advantages are that they are probably the cheapest method of building the floor and easier to work around. Disadvantages are that after a while they can be noisy due to the movement of the wood in the heat and cold. It is also not advisable for people with small children that enjoy jumping and running around (as far as the noise issue is considered).
2. Beam and Block floors have become more popular in the recent years, as it gives the advantages of a concrete floor with the ease of construction of a timber floor. The floor is made of beams spanned across the inner walls similar to the timber beams but are then filled with concrete blocks that sit in position within the beam giving an even and solid floor.
3. Precast Concrete slabs can be ordered to cover the span of the inner walls and make a solid and very strong floor. These kind of floors probably cost the most but can last a lot longer than the traditional timber floors. The main advantage is better sound proofing and can bear a higher load due to the strength of the concrete. If you do decide to go for this kind of flooring, make sure that you use a reputable company and that your engineer or architect is at hand to insure that all the measurements are correct and the floors do sit properly on the walls.

Precast Concrete Slabs have a lot more advantages over other types of floors, including Safety, Sound Insulation and fast installation. If you can, this is the type of floor that you should have for your house, both for ground and first floor.

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