Floors

 Flooring 


FRAMING SYSTEMS 


Wood

    Wood floor-framing systems can be divided into two types: light frame construction and heavy timber frame construction that uses beams and girders. Light frame construction uses multiple small wood sections to carry a load. Heavy timber framing relies on a structural frame consisting of columns and beams. These horizontal beams are the used to support girders they carry the weight of floor planks to the beams where then the load can be transferred to the columns. 

Steel 

    Steel floor-framing is either light gauge with open web joists or structural steel with beams or girders. These rely on regularly placed columns that support steel beams. Girders span these beams and are used to carry a metal decking. 

Concrete 


    There are different cast-in-place panels that have an additional slab poured. There are three main types of hollow core slab, double t, and single t. Poured-in-place concrete slabs are used in both residential and commercial construction. Woven wire mesh is added to add a reinforcement to the structure. 

FLOOR-FINISH MATERIALS 

Hard Surfaces 


    There are many different materials that can be used for a hard surface finish to a floor. One being concrete, this is often used as a sub-floor and can be a finished floor surface easily. There are also many different textures and colors that are available as well as surface finishes. Brick can also be used although it is mainly used outdoors there are instances where it can be used as a finished flooring. When doing so there are many different patterns and ways of laying the brick down to allow variety. Stone there many different varieties and types that can be used on the floor application. There are also many different ways to lay and install stone applications. Terrazzo is composed of cement or resign binder with marble or glass chips. This gives it a unique appearance. It is very hard and durable and doesn't tend to crack. Ceramic tile can be installed in two different ways the mortar bed at the center of the space or the tile itself at the center. 


Soft Surfaces 


    There are also many different types of soft materials that can be used on flooring as well. Carpet is one traditionally used in a wide variety of residential and commercial instances. There are many different varieties that can be picked and customized with different weaves of the carpet and piles to hold short or long. Carpet also plays a huge role into noise control, absorbing. Wood floor finishing are strips, planks, or blocks. Lots of the species can be used for wood including oak, cherry, walnut, maple, teak, and mahogany. There are three ways the wood can be laid strip, which is less than three inches, plank which is wider than three inches, and block which are small pieces assembled for a design. Rubber flooring is composed of natural or synthetic rubber. Linoleum is an all-sheet flooring that has specific materials that are environmentally safe. Cork flooring is good at acoustical properties; it has been used in churches. It is made up of the bark from the cork of oak trees. Bamboo flooring does not absorb water as easy as wood flooring but is used when it is a natural resource.

INTERIOR DETAILS 



    On the interior of a space there are other details that go along with the flooring in order to make a cohesive and aesthetic design. One element is base board and base molding. There are many different materials and styles that you can add the overall feel of the space. 

Comments

  1. Grace PekocOctober 4, 2025 at 7:59 AM

    Hi Anna, I really enjoyed reading your post and the way that you summarized the information that we learned on floors this week. I liked the pictures that you chose for your blog also!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Professor VanderNoordaaOctober 4, 2025 at 10:16 AM

    Anna,
    Great summary of flooring. I also loved that you toured a flooring store on your own. There is so much that needs to be understood in flooring. Great summary! 50/50 points

    ReplyDelete
  3. Irma HernandezOctober 4, 2025 at 8:10 PM

    Hi Anna i like your blog and the summary of Hard Surfaces floor finishes and the images that you chose for it

    ReplyDelete

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