Cl/SfB (13)(23)

April 1997

uomestic floors:
'7
I construction, Part 1
insulation and
damp-proofing
c
This guide describes some recommendations floor construction for
ground floor construction apply equally to other replacement or repair, and
in new buildings and in types of building. how to repair them.
rehabilitation work where It is in five parts: the other This guide is of interest to
floors are being replaced. parts (which are listed on designers, building
It is concerned mainly with page 8) explain how to surveyors and builders.
domestic buildings but assess different types of

~~ ~ ~ _ _ _

This guide describes the types of ground floors This guide does not deal with:
commonly used in domestic properties: ground 0 structural requirements
supported concrete slab floors, suspended 0 specific values or thicknesses ofthermal
concrete floors (includingbeam and block) and insulation because they depend on
suspended timber floors. It tells you how to individual designs
construct each type and gives advice on the 0 requirements for the exclusion of radon and
positions of damp-proof membranes (dpm) methane - see BR 211 page 8
and thermal insulation. 0 heated screeds.
In particular, it gives details of:
0 damp-proofing
0 vapour control layers You must consult a chartered surveyor or Structural
0 drying times for concrete bases and screeds am* ~~~,~~~~~
0 positions for thermal insulation. requirmartm.

Floating screed - Flooring grade

7 Alternative
positions
for dprn

\V/
Figure 1Ground supported slabs: insulation above the structure (see page 2)
2
Ground supported concrete slabs
The most common type ofconstruction for Damp proofing
house floors in England and Wales is a concrete There should be a dpm either above or below
Recommended slab, not less than 100 mm thick, laid directly the concrete slab, complying with BS CP 102,
concretemixer on the ground. The concrete slab can be: Section 3, and Building RegulationsApproved
LkKsintwcedconcrete 0 reinforced or unreinforced Document C. Digest 54 also gives information
Readyinixed: 0 directly finished to receive flooring on damp proofing solid floors.
GEN 1
Site mixed. 0 topped with a bonded, unbonded or floating The main function ofthe dpm is to prevent
Standard mu: ST2
screed moisture from the ground reaching the inside
Rdnfonedconcrete
0 covered by wood-based sheets, such as ofthe building. It may have other functions:
Ready mixed:
RC 30
chipboard or plywood separating ground contaminants from the
S& mixed: 0 covered by a flooringbedded directly to it, concrete, reducing the risk of interstitial
Standard mix ST4
such as ceramic tiles. condensation, or retaining constructionai
water. It can be placed in different positions,
Thermal insulation but it must be below the slab ifit is to protect
Insulation can be incorporated within the floor. the concrete from contamination in the
It can be glass fibre or foamed or expanded ground.
plastics sheets of appropriate compressive Figures 1to 3 show how dpms and
strength. Insulation can be positioned: insulation are usually located in ground
0 above the structure; supported concrete floors.
0 below the structure, and/or
0 at the edge ofthe structure.

Directly finished slab Bonded screed -

25 - 40 mm thick
b*

/
Concrete finish to
w v e Rooring-
mav need latex

Unbonded screed - Flooring grade chipboard

minimum 50 mm thick L or Plywood

screed and slab

.Ailernative posltim
for dpm - upper OM
Alternative position prefer& ll i n w M a
for dpm if lime can be is moisture resistan
allowed for drying out

Figure 2 Ground supported slabs: insulation below the structure

 3
A Horizontaledge insulation Vertical edge insulation
below slab

Bonded screed
-
25 40 mm thick
Dwng hme can be long
, to receive flooring

Figure 3 Ground supported slabs: insulation at the edge of the structure

Suspended concrete (beam and block)

This construction has become popular during Thermal insulation
the last 10 years; it can be topped with a Insulation may be incorporated within the
bonded, unbonded or floating screed or floor. It can be glass fibre or foamed or
covered by wood-based sheets, such as expanded plastics sheets ofappropriate
chipboard or plywood. It is particularly useful compressivestrength.
where significant depth offill is required for a Figures 4 and 5 show the insulation
ground supported base or where methane or positioned:
radon protection measures are needed. 0 above the structure
The NHBC requires a suspended floor 0 within the structure.
where the depth of fill exceeds 600 mm
because of possible settlement of ground
supported slabs.
Flooring grade chipboard Floating screed on insulation-
screed 65 mm minimum thick

Vapour Vapour
-control layer -control layer
c dpm cdpm

Figure 4 Suspended concrete: insulation above the structure

Flooring grade chipboard Unbonded screed -

r, OrPwOcd 50 mm minimum thick

Figure 5 Suspendedconcrete: insulation within the structure

4
Damp-proofing
A damp-proof membrane should be provided if
the ground beneath the floor is lower than the
surrounding ground and will not be drained
effectively- see Building Regulations
Approved Document C4.
Because suspended concrete floors are
constructed when the walls are at dpc level, the
blocks can get wet before the building is made
watertight. The saturated blocks can then take
a long time to dry out, and so delay the
installation of moisture sensitive flooring and
hold up completion and occupation. If
insufficient drying time is allowed, premature
floor failure can occur. It is therefore good
practice to install a dpm or vapour control layer
above the structural floor or beneath any
screed or board finish.
A dpc must be placed below the ends ofthe
beams to prevent corrosion ofthe
reinforcement from moisture and soluble salts.
The underfloor space should be ventilated to
keep the humidity low and reduce the
possibility of transfer of moisture across the
sub-floor void.
If there is a risk of methane or radon from
the ground, the underfloor space must be
ventilated. See Radon:guidance onprotective
measuresfor new dwellings.
- -'wh 1--
Figure 6 Suspendedconcrete (beam and block) floor
Suspended timber
In housing and small cellular-typebuildings,
three types of timber ground floor are
commonly used:
filly spanning: perimeter walls provide
support
partially spanning: sleeper walls or beams
reduce effective spans
non-spanning: the floor deck is fmed to
battens resting on, or
partially set into, a concrete
slab or screed or other solid
material. Not, strktly speakin8
sqendedjloon, these are dealt
with in Digest 364.
Traditionally,floorjoists were supported by
sleeper walls built in honeycomb bond. This
allowed ventilation through to air bricks in the
external wall. Square-edged or tongued and
grooved floorboards were nailed to the joists.
Nowadays,joist hangers are being used
increasingly instead of sleeper walls to support
the joists from perimeter walls. Chipboard,
plywood or hardboard sheets are used instead
of floorboards,fixed by screw nails, ring shank
nails, divergent staples or countersunk screws.
Thejoist hangers must be specified to match
the crushing strength of material in the
supporting walls and must be installed correctly
- see Good Building Guide 21.
Between 1967 and 1985,Building Regulations
in England and Wales required a concrete
oversite laid under suspended timber ground
floors; since 1985 the guidance in support of the
regulations have instead allowed a layer of inert
gravel laid over polyethylene.

to wall and flooring
-SeeBR262
\ ,Quilt insulation
. - Plastics board insulatlon
supported on battens
Figure 7 Suspended timber: insulation under suspendedtimber floors
The performance of a traditional, suspended
single timber floor is measured by its stifhess
and deflection under load rather than collapse.
Using the timber sizes given in the tables in the
England and Wales Building Regulations
Approved Document A will provide sufficient
strength and stifhess for normal use in
domestic construction.
However, even if the joists are of adequate
section to bear the loads, rotation is still a
problem, sojoists must be blocked at bearings
and strutted at intermediate points; at least:
0 once in spans over 2.5m and under 4.5m
0 twice in spans 4.5m and over.
Thermal insulation
There are two ways to install insulation under
suspended timber ground floors - see Figure 7:
0 foamed plastics rigid boards held by battens
or protruding nails on the sides of the joists
0 quilt on netting draped over the joists, but
held by battens to avoid sag.
Damp-proofing
S o h o o d timber is normally used; it must be
kept dry to avoid rot. At ground level, the
timber joists are normally supported on
masonry or concrete and protected from rising
damp by impervious dpcs or dpms. Ifthe
membranes are bridged or fractured, or have
deteriorated, rising damp may reach the
timber, particularly if the building is in an area
ofhigh exposure to driving rain. This is
covered in more detail in Digest 364.
5
Flooring grade
chlpboerd or plywood
L
supported on
fine nettlng or
strips of breather
membrane
Screeds for concrete bases
Most screeds are made from cement and sand.
Preferred mix proportions are 1:4 by weight
(about 1:3l/2 by volume) but mix proportions
between 1:3 and 1:4l/2 by weight are suitable.
Proprietary screeds are based on
cementitious systems and calcium sulfate
binders. Some are trowel applied; others are
self-levelling.Many are designed to be laid at
lesser thicknesses than conventional screeds.
Bonded screeds
Before laying bonded screeds, scabble or
shotblast the surface ofthe concrete base to
remove laitance and to expose the aggregate.
Apply cementitious grout or bonding agent to
the base, then lay the screed, which should be
25 mm to 40 mm thick. Any thicker, there is a
risk of it debonding from the base.
Unbonded screeds
Unbonded screeds are not purposely bonded
to the base. All screeds laid directly over dpms
(except for epoxy bonding dpms) must be
treated as unbonded, and the minimum
thickness should be 50 mm.
Floating screeds
Screeds laid immediately over compressible
layers, such as expanded polystyrene or glass
fibre, are classed as floating screeds. They
should be not less than 65 mm thick for
domestic screeds and not less than 75 mm
thick for other applications.
Thermal insulation and membranes
for concrete bases
The position ofthe thermal insulation
determines the thermal properties of the floor.
Ifthe insulation is placed as a sandwich
between the base and screed, the floor will
warm up quickly when the heating is switched
on, because only the screed is heated. But the
floor will also cool quickly when the heating is
switched off, because the screed has low
thermal capacity.
Ifthe insulation is placed below the slab, the
floor will be slow to warm up when the heating
is switched on because ofthe high thermal
capacity ofthe concrete. But it will be slow to
cool when the heating is switched OK
Insulating materials used in floors have some
resistance to moisture vapour but considerably
less than that ofa dpm. Additional moisture
barriers are needed in some forms of
construction to control constructional water.
Use polyethylene sheet not less than 500 gauge
(125 pm). This is thinner than the sheet used
for dpms, but similar to that used for vapour
control layers. Damp-proof membranes above
or below the base must be continuous and
linked to the dpc in the walls. Polyethylene
sheet below the base should be at least
1200 gauge (300 pm) or 1000 gauge (250 pm) if
the product has a BBA certificate or is to the
PIFA standard.
Liquid membranes can be applied by brush
or hot poured on to the top ofthe base
concrete. When dry, the membrane should be
at least 0.6 mm thick. Take care in selecting
these materials as some solvents may not be
compatible with foamed plastics insulating
materials. Always allow sufficient time for any
solvent to evaporate before covering the
membrane. Allow excess constructional water
in concrete bases and screeds to dry out before
laying moisture sensitive floor coverings such
as carpets, PVC or timber. A cement/sand
screed, 50 mm thick, laid on a dpm needs about
six weeks before it is dry enough to take
flooring. Some proprietary screed systems dry
considerably quicker than conventional
screeds.
Thick concrete bases, with the dpm below
the slab, take much longer to dry than do
screeds laid directly on a dpm.
It is not uncommon for 150 mm-thick base
to take up to a year to dry.
The table ofdrying times below is only for
guidance. The actual drying time ofa screed 01
slab depends on many factors, including:
0 the thickness
0 the amount of original mixing water
0 any admixtures
0 mix proportions
0 aggregate grading
0 drying conditions.
Always check the moisture condition of the
floor with a hygrometer before laying any
moisture-sensitive floors, such as chipboard or
other wood-based materials, flexible PVC,
linoleum, cork tiles or carpet - see BS 8203 and
Digest 364.
The timing oflaying the base slab is
important. Ifit is laid before the roofis in
position, there is a chance that rain will saturate
the slab and insulation. This can greatly extend
the drying time ofthe slab, and reduce the
insulating properties ofsome types of
insulating material, such as glass fibre.

Thickness Con-struction Approximate

drying times

50 mm Screed 4 - 6 weeks
75 mm Screed 6 - 8 weeks
100 mm Concrete 4 - 6 months
150 mm Concrete
(or 100rnrn concrete
plus 50 m screed
with no dpm between) 6 - 12 months
200 mm Concrete 8 - 20 months

Chipboard
Use chipboard to BS 5669 Type C4 (M).
Where tongue and groove boards are
supported continuously by the sub-base or the
insulation underlay, all the joints must be glued
continuously.Spot gluing is insufficient.
Where chipboard is laid over compressible
insulation at thresholds, internal partitions and
to battens supported by the sub-floor other
heavily loaded positions, fur the chipboard
- see Figure 8.
Insulation
Ifchipboard (or insulation and chipboard) is to
be laid on a concrete base, the surface ofthe
base must be flat. Boards laid on an undulating
base may oscillate up and down under dynamic
loads, for example, when people walk across
the floor. Surface deviations must be not more
than 5 mm under a 3 m straight edge. Bases
which do not meet this standard can be
levelled by applying a thin layer of
cemendsand mortar which should be allowed
to set, harden and dry before proceeding
further. Do not use dry sand for levelling bases
as it can move around under the effects of
pumping action induced by dynamic loads.
Figure 8 Extra support and allowance for movement of chipboard
7
Moisture
Like all timber-based products, changes in the
moisture condition of chipboard will change its
dimensions. There must be a gap around the
perimeter of rigid upstands to accommodate
any likely moisture-induced movement
- see Figure 8. A gap of not less than 10 mm is
recommended in normal house floors.
It is rarely possible to allow sufficient time
for concrete bases and screeds to dry to a state
which will not induce moisture movement in
chipboard. A moisture control layer is,
therefore, needed between the base and the
chipboard. Where insulation is installed
between the base and the chipboard, place the
moisture control layer on the top (warm side)
of the insulation.Some prefabricated panels
have the chipboard and insulation stuck
together at the factory. Ifyou are using these,
place the moisture control layer on the base.
Use polyethylene sheet of not less than
500 gauge (125 pm). Ifthe base is laid directly
on the ground, the moisture control layer is in
addition to the damp-proof membrane.
8 Further information
1
British Standards Institution
BS 882: 1992 Specificationfor aggregates from natural sources for concrete
BS 5328:- Concrete
Part 1: 1991Guide to specifying concrete
Part 2: 1991Methods for specifying concrete mixes
BS 5669:- Particleboard
Part 5: 1993 Code of practice for the selection and applicationof particleboards for specific
purposes
BS 8000:- Workmanship on building sites
Part 9: 1989 Code of practice for cement/sand floor screeds and concrete floor toppings
BS 8203: 1996 Code of practice for installationof resilientfloor coverings
BS 8204:- Screeds, bases and in-situ floorings
Part 1: 1987 Code of practice for concrete bases and screeds to receive in-situ floorings
CP 102: 1973 Code of practice for protection of buildings against water from the ground

Building Regulations
Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office, HMSO, London, 1991.
Approved documents A and C4

Building Research Establishment

Reports
Radon: guidance on protective measures for new dwellings. BR 2 11, CRC, 1992.
Protecting dwellings with suspended timber floors: a BRE guide to radon remedial measures in
existing dwellings. BR 270. CRC, 1995.
Major alterations and conversions: a BRE guide to radon remedial measures in existing dwellings.
BR 267, CRC, 1994.
Sealing cracks in solid floors: a BRE guide to radon remedial measures in existing dwellings.
BR 239, CRC, 1993.
Thermal insulation: avoiding risks. BR 262. CRC, 1994.
Information Paper
IP 11/84 BRE Screed tester: classifications of screeds, sampling and acceptance limits
Digests
54 Damp-proofing solid floors
364 Design of timber floors to prevent decay
Good Building Guides
21 Joist hangers
28 Domestic floors:
Part 1 construction, insulation and damp-proofing
Part 2 assessingthem for replacementor repair: concrete floors, screeds and finishes
Part 3 assessingthem for replacementor repair: timber floors and decks
Part 4 repairing or replacing floors and flooring: rnagnesite, tiles, slabs and screeds
Part 5 repairing or replacing floors and flooring: wood blocks and suspended timber

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