INTD 503 Materials Topic Flooring Presented by Dr

INTD 503 - Materials Topic: Flooring Presented by: Dr. Mamdouh I Zaky University of Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman.

Flooring �Selecting appropriate floor finishes is an important consideration for any interior design. � 2 major criteria for selecting floor finishes are: �Function of the space �Aesthetics �Other criteria for selection are: �Cost �Availability

Types of floor finishes Categories of floor finishes: � Hard surfaces – concrete, wood, stone, ceramic and terrazzo. �Resilient surfaces – vinyl composition tiles, sheet vinyl, rubber and linoleum. �Soft surfaces – carpets and area rugs.

Concrete flooring �Concrete is the basic structural material of floors in most of the construction. �Concrete can also be retained as floor finishes.

Concrete flooring Floor finishes � Coloring: �Surface applied �Integrally mixed �Stained/ dyed � Textures: �Traditional hand finishes �Exposed aggregates �Stamped/Imprinted �Polished �Mortar toppings surface colored concrete

�Light reflective floors were originally developed for aircraft hangers to increase the light levels.

�Stained and Dyed floors are used mainly in interior to improve the aesthetics.

�Textured concrete floors are used in places of heavy traffic/ exteriors for less wear and tear. .

Problems � Curling occurs on concrete surface due to uneven drying of surfaces. � Curing is the process of providing sufficient water for the concrete to harden. � Floor joints subjected to heavy traffic should be protected by using load bearing filler. � Filler is applied normally After 120 days of drying. Curling of concrete floors

Wood flooring �Wood is used in many interior applications. �Furniture making is the most widely used application. �Wooden floor finish is less seen, because of its high cost. �Mostly used in places of less wear and tear.

Wood flooring �Types of wood: Hard wood and Soft wood. �Birch, Oak and Maple make the most durable floor finish. �Installed as large plans, small strips or parquet slats depending on the pattern.

�Birch flooring

�Oak flooring

�Maple flooring

Wood flooring �Wood finishes: �Penetrating sealers �Surface finishes �Penetrating sealers: �sealer penetrates into the wood pores and forms a hardened protective seal against dirt and stains and is recommended for residential use. �Surface finishes: �Forms a protective layer on top of the wood. �Stain or high gloss.

�Water borne VOC is the newest surface finish for wood flooring. �VOC finishes release little or no odor or any other harmful solvent during drying. �VOC finishes are very thin and at least 4 coats are required to finish. �Drying time of one coat is max 2 hours.

Problems �Blisters/ bubbles: �Happens when surface was not cleaned properly before finishing. �Or if one finish coat was not dried properly before applying the second layer. �The only solution is to refinish. �Cracking: �Minute cracks appear on the wood surface due to less moisture in air. �Mostly seen in dry climate areas.

�Cupping: �Cupping happens due to high moisture. �Mostly seen in rainy areas.

Stone flooring Stone floors include �Granite �Marble �Slate �Sandstone �Limestone �Travertine

Granite flooring Normally available in 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm and 30 mm slab thickness.

Marble floors � 20 mm to 25 mm thick marble slabs are laid on 20 mm thick cement and sand mortar of 1: 3. �Joining is done with white cement slurry mixed with pigment to match the color.

Slate flooring �Can be used for both residential and commercial purposes. Comes in thickness of 8 mm to 14 mm. �Greatest property is water resistance.

Sandstone flooring �Features a rough textured surface. �Available in a variety of colors.

Limestone flooring �Used for subtle design schemes. �Stains fact in acidic conditions.

Travertine flooring �A form of limestone mostly used in exterior surfaces. �Porous nature of the stone makes it difficult to finish and maintain.

Stone is available in a variety of finishes: � Polished finish � Requires high maintenance � Poor slip resistance � Not preferred in heavy traffic areas � Not preferred near the entrance areas � Limestone, marble, and granite floors are commonly polished. � Honed finish � Created by stopping before the last polishing stage � Dull, smooth finish � Good slip resistance � Slate, marble, and limestone can be honed. � Thermal finish � The surface of the stone is heated and then rapidly cooled � Nice texture � Great slip resistance � Mostly done on granite.

� Acid–washed: � Limestone and marble flooring are commonly acid–washed � Commonly used to soften the shine on granite. � Split–faced: � Rough–textured surface from hand cutting and chiseling at the quarry. � Primarily seen on slate floors. � Tumbled: � Tiles are tumbled in a machine � Slightly pitted or smooth surface with rounded and broken edges and corners. � Marble and limestone floors are most often given a tumbled finish. � Brushed: � The stone's surface is brushed, giving the stone floor a naturally worn –down appearance.

�All stones can be used both in interiors and exteriors �Slate requires applied sealants when used indoors. �Granite has the most durable surface that can be used in most applications. �Marble range from hard to soft, and usually require the most maintenance. �Aesthetic quality, durability, less maintenance profile and recyclability makes stone flooring a sustainable choice.

Ceramic floor tiles � Ceramic tile is either made of clay or porcelain. � Types of ceramic tiles available: �Mosaic- small tiles typically less than 1” wide. Used for intricate designs and patterns. Webbing is applied on the backing for easy installation. �Quarry- thick and durable tiles. Usually installed in high traffic areas such as commercial kitchens. �Paver- larger tiles found with textured surfaces. Pavers can be installed with cement based mortar in a thick set or thin set method. Thick set method is preferred for slopes and drains.

Ceramic floor tiles �Four absorption categories of ceramic tiles are: �Non-vitreous (most absorptive) �Semi-vitreous �Vitreous �Impervious (least absorptive) �Lower the absorption, greater resistance and no staining.

�In heavy traffic areas quarry or paver, or heavy duty porcelain tile is recommended. �Larger tiles require fewer grout seams, therefore easier to maintain. �Mottled or shaded tile hides the stains and is easier to maintain than an overall flat color. �Epoxy grouts are used to fill in the gaps to avoid discoloration. �If sand grout is the only option, then should use dark colors.

Terrazzo flooring �Flooring material of various sizes of marble chips in cement mortar. �Metal divider strips or glass divider strips are used as expansion joints. �Terrazzo mixtures are usually installed in 2” thickness.