Dimensions and types of balcony floor slabs, installation and repair features

With their ability to provide an outdoor area for enjoyment and relaxation, balconies are a common feature of many homes. The floor slab, which serves as the foundation for the balcony structure, is an essential part of balcony construction. It is essential to comprehend the sizes and varieties of balcony floor slabs in order to guarantee longevity and security.

Balcony floor slabs come in a range of sizes based on the building’s design and structural specifications. Steel, composite materials, and concrete are examples of common materials. These slabs are made to endure outdoor elements and bear the weight of people, furniture, and plants.

Balcony floor slab installation calls for meticulous preparation and execution. To guarantee stability and load-bearing capacity, the building must be properly supported and anchored to its structure. The slab must also be sealed and waterproofed in order to prevent weather damage and moisture intrusion.

With time, wear and tear or structural problems may require balcony floor slab repairs. The life of the balcony can be increased by employing methods like replacing damaged sections, strengthening steel, and patching concrete. It’s advised to conduct routine maintenance and inspections to spot possible problems early and take appropriate action.

Concept

The floor slab of a balcony is a stronger structure that is attached to the main wall of the load-bearing structure in a unique manner that allows for some overhang.

The majority of the time, these slabs have metal loops on the surface that allow them to be welded to the floor’s base.

There are several standard subtypes of floor slabs, and GOST 25697-83 governs their manufacture and use.

Balcony floor slabs are constructed using a cement mixture of strong grades M500 and above, reinforced with rods, giving them an external rectangular shape, gray color, and porous concrete surface. The slabs are only produced in factory settings, and only specialized lifting equipment is used for loading, stacking, and transportation of the slabs.

Every kind of slab needs to be labeled. The piece product has been marked with letters and numbers that denote:

• type of concrete and reinforcement class;
• surface finishing (polished, glossy, natural stone, etc.).d.);
• seismic resistance level.

Unmarked slab products are not used in construction because they are regarded as fraudulent and substandard. The majority of construction firms only buy slabs from reputable manufacturers who offer quality certifications, product instructions, warranties, and other supporting documentation.

To ensure the safety of future human life, load-bearing floor slab quality is a crucial prerequisite for effective construction.

Every product for balcony ceiling has a unique weight and set of dimensions. The dimensions of the standard panel are as follows:

• 760-1 425 (kg) – weight of one piece;
• 1 200-7 200 (mm) – length;
• 150-220 (mm) – thickness;
• 1 200-1 800 (mm) – width.

Non-standard building slabs are created based on orders from customers, but they must be produced strictly in compliance with technical specifications pertaining to the product’s composition, weight, and dimensions.

There are three types of balcony slabs: ribbed (PBR), solid cantilever (PBC), and beam (PB). The wall slab support unit is computed based on the allowable loads mentioned in GOST 956-91.

The material used to construct the building determines how the balcony slab is fastened. The fasteners for brick homes are found in the masonry of the walls. Slabs in panel houses are clamped in between blocks. In every other instance, they are welded to the structural wall’s fasteners and devices or secured with anchors.

You can use one or more floor slabs. It is only acceptable to expand balconies by applying multiple products to the foundations if doing so meets all technical requirements and won’t cause the building to collapse.

Basic requirements of GOSTs

The primary prerequisite for balcony floor slabs is adherence to GOST 18105, which delineates guidelines for the utilization of concrete, its consistency, and its application technique.

The document also emphasizes the importance of compressive strength, which needs to line up with indicator B15.

The specifications for the production and application of reinforcing steel in slabs, as well as the caliber of the structure itself, are completely outlined in GOST 13015.0-83. When installing floor slabs on balconies, it is crucial to consider the maximum load capacity and its distribution across the entire product surface.

The indicators’ values are located in SNiP 2.01.07-85, which is particularly significant for brick and panel homes.

Generally, the balcony should be able to support the 200 kg/m2 load during operation, depending on its age and condition. This indicator allows these values to be multiplied among themselves, and the result is the allowable load for a specific balcony, while also accounting for the width and length of the balcony slab.

For instance, the total load of a slab measuring 3 (m) in length and 120 (cm) in width is 720 (kg). This indicator doesn’t account for interior design, windows, ice, precipitation, or floor pie. Therefore, in actuality, the load is 150 kg/m2 after deducting the weight of all materials. The homeowner can appropriately distribute the weight of items he wants to install on the balcony by knowing the allowable load.

Additionally, the following legal specifications apply to balcony slabs:

• GOST R 56926-2016;
• GOST 25772-83;
• GOST 25697-83;
• GOST 30777-2012;
• SNiP 01/31/2003.

The documents listed above are all basic. They make references to GOSTs and lesser regulations in their opening sections concerning manufacturing, installation, material quality, reinforcement and welding requirements, etc.

However, the balcony stove is the most crucial component that all technical standards take into account. It needs to be robust, long-lasting, non-flammable, resistant to mechanical, seismic, and atmospheric influences, and made of high-grade concrete with a high composition that can support heavy loads.

Balcony slabs can have vapor barriers, waterproofing, and insulation depending on the kind of pie-forming that occurs on the attic and interfloor ceilings.

Types of elements for balconies

It is best to use a monolithic floor slab or reinforced concrete for any balcony or loggia. Eco-friendly materials, such as cement, sand, and bulk, when combined with reinforced rods, are considered for grade strength. The slab will function more robustly and sustainably the higher the composition grade.

By general parameters

According to the product’s general specifications, balcony floor slabs are:

1. Cantilever. Attached with I-beams to one or two adjacent sides. Suitable for brick and reinforced concrete buildings.
2. Beam. Installed with brackets or cantilever beams, with support on 2 or 3 sides. Suitable for wooden and heavy brick houses.
3. Overhead. They are lightweight and are attached to the load-bearing wall using reliable anchor fasteners. Requires constant inspection every spring at the time of visible damage.
4. Hanging. Suspended using overhead brackets that are installed above or below the slab. Also here, the support can be columns and walls from the foundation (continuation of the attic, room, flight of stairs, the wall structure itself). Most often recommended for private buildings.

By design

Based on their structural characteristics, the slabs are separated into:

1. Solid. Ready for installation. Have high weight indicators.
2. Void. Used for loggias. Reinforced rods can be placed inside them and additional cement filling can be done. They have less weight compared to solid ones, which significantly reduces the load on the foundation.

Additionally, there are built-in, remote, loggia, attached, attached, and hinged types of balcony ceilings. The mounting fasteners and design elements that are employed in the procedure give each of them their names.

Apart from solid slab balconies, there are wooden balconies found on private homes and cottages. Vertical devices or consoles are used as supports for wooden balconies. However, the interfloor (attic) floor beams are continued by the supporting base in the majority of contemporary buildings. Such balconies’ projecting portion’s length is mostly determined by the kind of beams (section), their pitch, the kind of floor, and the climate in which they are built.

A balcony floor’s standard depth above the wall’s facade surface is 0.8 meters, and its width is 3.28 meters.

Rules for selection and design

The GOST standards contain specifications for all the technical aspects of the work and standards. It is best to leave the balcony project to the experts, who will define a work plan and take into consideration the slab’s characteristics, future load, and installation features. The load indicator is crucial and needs to be included in the project while taking the structural (load-bearing) wall’s characteristics into consideration, as previously mentioned in one of the sections of the article above (with a calculation example).

How to calculate?

Any computation of the load on balcony slabs uses 200 kg/m2 as a standard. After multiplying it by the slab’s dimensions, the intended load is deducted.

This is crucial if, for instance, more space is created on the slab for things like a library, a green space, a study or rest area, or places to store items and set up furniture, among other things.

With the use of the slab load calculator, one can quickly and precisely calculate the approximate load while accounting for screeds, other temporary loads, and the features of the layers above the slab in addition to the dimensions of the slab products used.

These calculators are owned by all civil engineers. These specialized tools will ensure that mistakes in balcony construction are not made. Any calculation involving balconies must take into account both the load and the area, which are determined by the following formula:

S = a * b, or S = h (height) * (all sides of the perimeter along the walls)

The area of the windows, the weight of the parapets, and other significant quantities pertinent to the particular plan, rendered in the form of a diagram (drawing), are deducted from the resultant calculation. Furthermore, the thickness of the insulation is calculated in addition to the loads on the floors.

In the project itself, mounting hardware and the material to which the balcony will be attached must be considered. They have to be of factory quality and fulfill the manufacturer’s specified requirements. Saving money on fasteners is not worth it because it could cause the structure to collapse, endangering your family, other people, pets, and other objects like your parked car or that of a neighbor.

Many experts recommend adding 2 (cm) to the slab’s length and width when taking measurements. This is essential to avoid having to fill in large gaps later on and, if needed, trim off any excess material to make it the required length.

Equipment and accessories for installation

To lay balcony slabs, the following devices, materials, and tools must be used, along with the expertise of builders, industrial climbers, lifting vehicle equipment, and other personnel:

1. Special level, angles, cord, range finder, tape measure, hammer.
2. Impact drill, screwdriver, grinder, grinding.
3. Reinforcement of the required sizes, channels, I-beams, profiles, binding wire.
4. Ready-made floor slabs of given dimensions, or all the necessary devices for pouring a monolithic base (formwork, reinforcement, concrete composition).
5. Shovel and container for mixing concrete or plaster mortar, concrete mixer.
6. Stationary or automatic concrete pump for supplying the solution to the construction site of the balcony.
7. Vibrator, tampers and smoothers, for leveling the surface.
8. Rule, spatula, trowel, for throwing plaster mortar, screed and sealing cracks.
9. Welding equipment (machine and everything necessary for it, including a protective helmet for the worker).

Additionally useful tools include a wood saw or construction mixer (should this material be required for the task), a rivet gun (for fastening corrugated sheets), waterproofing and vapor barrier material, along with all the accessories required for them.

Tools and consumables may differ depending on the circumstances. Many of the listed work supplies, such as machinery and equipment, are provided by the construction company, so owners do not need to specifically rent or purchase them when contacting them.

Step-by-step installation process

Preparing consumables and tools, work clothes, protective gear (goggles, hat, respirator), marking the surface, cleaning, and verifying its location and plan are the standard steps involved in installing balcony ceilings, depending on the project. All plate types require the same preparation, and even the subtleties of installation are mostly the same; the only differences are in the fasteners and suspension type.

Builders carry out the subsequent actions:

1. On the sides of the wall structure, lighthouse plates are installed, to which elements for the future overlap are welded and attached.
2. A helm is pulled along the outer part of the length of the house.
3. Then, using a lifting tap, the plate is fed to the future fastening place. To do this, they must be scattered.
4. Plates are neatly lowered (2 people) by risks and a cord called a bastard. Before that, a mortar cement bed is prepared on which the plate is laid.
5. Check the level and geometric correspondence of the laid overlap.
6. The identified slopes are eliminated and aligned, if necessary, change the mortar bed, if you have to raise the plate again.
7. Install temporary racks and thrust until the bed solution is completely solidified.
8. Weld the protruding steel rods of the slab to the rods in the wall, screw in the anchors securely, and check the reliability of the fastenings.

If the slab is placed atop a completed metal structure, anchors and screws are used to weld and fasten it. The main component is attached to a wooden slab. It’s crucial to install things in the right order, take your time, and take safety precautions.

For wooden balconies, special hot-dip galvanized construction nails in size 3.5/100 are used as the fastening element. Additionally, big screws are utilized, with attachment points that match the project.

Support beams for balcony ceilings are affixed above the exterior wall and at the extremity of their beam marking.

Strengthening

Balcony slabs can be fixed in a few fundamental ways:

• cantilever plate along the bottom of the base;
• pinching;
• supporting internal walls and columns on consoles;
• suspension and support on the outer wall of the building;
• resting on attached elements.

You can reinforce the floors further during the initial installation, depending on how they were fastened. Alternatively, you can carry out this process using a slab that has already been installed.

For this reason, tools like:

• reinforced rods;
• construction mesh;
• cement screed;
• additional anchoring;
• metal profile brace.

In any event, the selected approach is advised during planned design work or following an expert’s evaluation of the object. The majority of concrete slabs can be strengthened by adding more slabs that are fastened end to end to the bottom plate. Here, anchors and fastening hangers must be welded in place in addition to sealing all current steel components.

If the project calls for using jibs to strengthen the slabs, only high-rise installers are capable of doing this; they will need to use special tools, lifting equipment, and transportation. When doing strengthening work, the slab’s surface must be leveled if necessary, appropriate braces must be used, more concrete filling must be completed, and the seams must be tightly sealed.

Most frequently, premium profile pipes are used to create the supporting metal structure.

Repair

The secondary housing market is linked to the need for balcony repairs, which typically occur in older homes due to a number of factors.

Causes of destruction

1. Incorrect distribution of load-bearing load on the balcony ceiling.
2. Errors in installation technology.
3. Construction of balconies from low-quality materials.
4. Destruction due to seismic causes.
5. Man-made disasters.
6. Military actions (explosions, shell explosions).
7. Long-term exposure to adverse natural phenomena.
8. End of life (necessary, over time).

Cracks and devastation appear on balconies and ceilings (fallen parts are visible on the top, bottom, and sides). They might slightly deviate from the wall’s surface or alter their geometry. Furthermore, bare reinforcement rods that are visible on the floor’s surface may need to be replaced if they have severely deteriorated and are no longer functional. To reinforce the base, new slab pouring and element welding may also be necessary.

Remedies

There are several approaches to removing issues and harm that have developed. Since all of the work will be done from the street side, you will need professional assistance for this. Private homes are an exception, as the owner of the second-floor balcony may choose to enhance and repair it themselves.

He can, for instance, use specific sealants and anchor connections to screed cracks, pulling the wall’s components together before filling them with concrete mortar. Replace the worn-out wooden components with new ones.

Only a team should perform major repairs. Because construction companies that offer these services can supply the calculations, transportation, and specialized tools you’ll need, for instance, if you need to install a new slab.

We cover all the information you require about balcony floor slabs in this guide, including their types, dimensions, and crucial installation and maintenance procedures. We cover everything, from comprehending the various slab materials—such as concrete and composite options—to offering helpful advice on maintaining structural integrity during installation. This article intends to give you clear insights and practical advice to help you make informed decisions and achieve a long-lasting, secure, and aesthetically pleasing balcony floor, whether you’re building a new balcony or maintaining an old one.

Average prices in Russia

Buying balcony floor slabs is a crucial procedure that is dependent on the product type that is advised for a particular building and how well it fits the project. Depending on the area, average costs for various kinds of balcony slabs may also differ. The two northernmost regions with the highest prices for balcony ceilings are Moscow Region and St. Petersburg.

Generally speaking, one standard product in the Russian Federation costs between 5,500 and 30,000 rubles. A PBK balcony slab, for instance, will cost between 3,210 and 6,600 rubles in the Leningrad region and from 2,000 in Krasnoyarsk. Purchasing consumables from businesses that directly collaborate with manufacturers as well as from their official websites is the most profitable option.

There is never a cost difference between conventional monolithic slabs and reinforced concrete slabs. Boards will cost between 86 and 320 rubles per piece, and beams will cost between 230 and 9,500 rubles per m 3 for their private wooden balconies in their homes.

Any homeowner thinking about installation or repair must be aware of the sizes and varieties of balcony floor slabs. The size of balcony slabs usually varies based on the building’s design and structural specifications. Precast concrete, composite materials, and reinforced concrete are common materials, and each has unique durability and strengths.

To guarantee longevity and safety, balcony floor slab installation calls for meticulous planning and adherence to regional building codes. In order to avoid structural problems and water damage, proper waterproofing and support are crucial. In order to prevent further deterioration, fixing cracks, wear, or waterproofing issues quickly is often necessary when repairing balcony slabs.

It is advisable to seek professional advice when planning the installation of a balcony slab to ensure compliance with local regulations and best practices. To increase the balcony floor’s lifespan, factors like load-bearing capacity, weather, and maintenance needs should be carefully taken into account. Frequent maintenance and inspections can help find problems early, reducing repair costs and guaranteeing safety.

Homeowners may improve the use, safety, and visual appeal of their balconies by making educated decisions by knowing the specifications, kinds, installation, and maintenance factors of balcony floor slabs. When constructing a new balcony or remodeling an old one, putting structural integrity and durability first guarantees years of enjoyment and peace of mind.

Video on the topic

BC: Calculation of consoles (balconies) and cantilever beams

Why do balconies fall?? 3 reasons and 5 important details for strengthening

Never do this. Life threatening.

Floor plan (+ anchoring, balconies, loggias and stairs)

What are the sizes of floor slabs?

FORGET about #FLOORS and #MONOLITH! Prefabricated monolithic floors MARCO