8.3 Floor finishes

MATERIALS STANDARDS

8.3 - M1	Material standards
8.3 - M2	Screeding materials
8.3 - M3	Ceramic, concrete, terrazzo and similar tile finishes
8.3 - M4	Asphalt finishes
8.3 - M5	Flexible sheet and tile finishes
8.3 - M6	Wood finishes
8.3 - M7	Sound insulation
8.3 - M8	Thermal insulation
8.3 - M9	Structural floor decking

Materials that comply with the design and the guidance below will be acceptable for floor finishes.

Materials for floor finishes shall comply with all relevant standards, including those listed below. Where no standard exists, Technical Requirement R3 applies (see Chapter 1.1 'Introduction to the Standards and Technical Requirements').

References to British Standards and Codes of Practice include those made under the Construction Products Directive (89/106/EEC) and, in particular, appropriate European Technical Specifications approved by a European Committee for Standardisation (CEN).

SCREEDING MATERIALS

Relevant standards include:

BS 8204

In-situ floorings

The following standards include references to concrete and screed as sub-base:

BS 8201	Code of Practice for flooring of timber, timber products and wood-based panel products
BS 8203	Code of Practice for installation of sheet and tile flooring
BS 5385	Wall and floor tiling

CERAMIC, CONCRETE, TERRAZZO AND SIMILAR TILE FINISHES

BS 5385 Wall and floor tiling contains references to materials for ceramic, concrete and similar floor tiles.

Items to be taken into account include:

(a) concrete tiles

Relevant standards include:

BS 1197

Specification for concrete flooring tiles and fittings

(b) ceramic tiles

Relevant standards include:

BS 5385 Part 3 :	Code of Practice for the design and installation of ceramic floor tiles and mosaics
BS EN 98	Ceramic floor and wall tiles.

(c) terrazzo tiles

Relevant standards include:

BS 4131	Specification for terrazzo tiles
BS 8204	In-situ floorings.

 

ASPHALT FINISHES

Relevant standards include:

BS 6925

Specification for mastic asphalt for building and civil engineering (limestone aggregate).

FLEXIBLE SHEET AND TILE FINISHES

Relevant standards include:

BS 2592	Specification for thermoplastic flooring tiles
BS 3260	Specification for semi-flexible PVC floor tiles
BS 3261	Specification for unbacked flexible PVC flooring
BS 5085	Specification for backed flexible PVC flooring
BS 6826	Specification for linoleum and cork carpet sheet and tiles.

The following standard contains further specification details for flexible sheet and tile flooring:

BS 8203

Code of Practice for installation of sheet and tile flooring.

WOOD FINISHES

ALL WOOD AND WOOD-BASED MATERIALS

Relevant standards include:

BS 8201

Code of Practice for flooring of timber, timber products and wood-based panel products.

DIRECTLY APPLIED FINISHES

(wood blocks, parquet, wood mosaic, etc)

Relevant standards include:

BS 1187	Specification for wood blocks for floors
BS 4050	Specification for mosaic parquet panels.

INDIRECTLY APPLIED FINISHES

(softwood and hardwood boarding, wood-based panel products, etc)

Relevant standards include:

BS 1202	Specification for nails
BS 1210	Specification for wood screws
BS 1297	Specification for tongued and grooved softwood flooring
BS EN 312 Part 2:	Specification for wood chipboard Particleboard
BS EN 300 Part 3:	Specification for oriented strand Particleboard board (OSB)
BS EN 636	Plywood.

SOUND INSULATION

Information concerning materials and constructions that will generally be acceptable is given in statutory regulations.

Proprietary products should have been assessed in accordance with Technical Requirement R3.

Sound insulation materials include:

• flexible material
• mineral fibre quilt insulation
• board material (for use under screeds)
• pre-compressed expanded polystyrene - impact sound duty (ISD) grade
• proprietary materials which have been assessed in accordance with Technical Requirement R3.

THERMAL INSULATION

Floor insulation materials should include the following:

Insulation materials for use below screeds should:

• have adequate compressive strength to support wet construction screeds and floor loads
• be compatible with any dpm, where appropriate.

STRUCTURAL FLOOR DECKING

Decking materials should be selected in accordance with the relevant parts of Chapter 6.4 'Timber and concrete upper floors' (Design and Materials).