What types of interfloor floors are there, their features and disadvantages

The interfloor ceiling is one of the most important structural components to take into account when constructing a multi-story home. The building is supported and stabilized by these ceilings, which divide the floors from one another. They also contribute to thermal and acoustic insulation, which affects your home’s comfort and energy efficiency.

There are several kinds of interfloor ceilings that come with their own advantages and disadvantages. Knowing these choices enables you to make an informed choice that fits your budget and unique requirements. There is a type of ceiling that meets your needs, regardless of how important affordability, durability, or simplicity of installation are to you.

The options can be overwhelming, ranging from conventional wooden beams to contemporary concrete slabs and lightweight steel structures. Every material and design has specific benefits and drawbacks that can affect the building’s longevity and overall performance. By learning about the various interfloor ceiling options, you can gain a better understanding of their function in building and select a solution that will guarantee a cozy and secure living space.

Contents

Beam floors.
Beamless floors.
Monolithic reinforced concrete floors.
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Advantages and disadvantages of hollow-core reinforced concrete floor slabs
Types of house floors
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Interfloor floor. Types, pros and cons. Stanitsa Raevskaya, stanitsa Natukhaevskaya, Novorossiysk.
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Types of floors in the house. Disadvantages and advantages
8. Interfloor floors in the house

Beam floors.

In beam floors, filling elements that serve as enclosures are laid on the load-bearing base, which is made up of beams spaced equally apart. Beams can be made of metal, wood, or reinforced concrete.

Boards composed of wood

Wooden beam floors are the most common type used in private home construction; they are typically found in frame and wooden homes.

The width of the span (room) is limited for wooden beams. They are useful for:

interfloor ceilings – with a span width of up to 5 meters;
for attic floors (with an unused attic space) with a span width of up to 6 meters. Metal beams can be used for any span width.

Hardwood and coniferous wood beams are used to construct the wooden floor. There is a flooring that doubles as the floor on the upper side of the beams. The beams themselves, the run-up, the floor, and the insulation make up the beam floor’s structure.

Blocking the span along the short wall is advised when designing a rectangular house plan.

Beams must be spaced apart in order to avoid bending under the weight of the floor.The load applied to the beam determines its cross section.

The thickness of the floor boards also affects the spacing between the beams. The space between beams shouldn’t be more than 50 cm if they are 28 mm or thinner in thickness.

Benefits of hardwood floors:

The main advantage is that a wooden floor can be quickly and easily installed in any (even difficult) place, without the use of any special means, that is, you can do without a crane or other equipment. The wooden floor is light and relatively inexpensive.

The drawbacks of having wooden floors

The main disadvantage of wooden floors is the increased flammability, sometimes the possibility of rotting and infection with bark beetles.

Metal beam floors.

These floors are uncommon to see in construction, despite the fact that they are less thick (saving space) and far more dependable and long-lasting than wooden ones. The spaces between the beams can be filled with lightweight reinforced concrete slabs, lightweight concrete inserts, or wooden panels or slabs. Usually, such flooring weighs more than 400 kg per square meter.

A metal beam can cover large spans (4-6 meters or more).
The metal beam is non-flammable and resistant to biological influences (rot, etc.).d.).
But flooring on metal beams is not without its drawbacks:
In places of high humidity, corrosion forms on the metal.
In addition, such floors have reduced heat and sound insulation qualities. To mitigate this disadvantage, the ends of the metal beams are wrapped in felt. In such floors, the load-bearing element is a rolled profile: I-beam, channel, angles.

The spaces between the beams are filled with prefabricated, 9 cm-thick reinforced concrete hollow slabs. For reinforced concrete slabs, an 8–10 cm thick layer of slag and screed is used. The amount of steel used is considerable—between 25 and 30 kg/m2, depending on the grade of steel used to make the beams.

Cost of material: A steel profile costs between $7 and $18 per square meter. Lightweight slabs of reinforced concrete start at $110 apiece. You will pay at least $100 per square meter for metal beam flooring for 1 square.

Floors with beams of reinforced concrete.

Installed across a range of spans, 3 to 7.5 meters. The need to use lifting equipment complicates the work. These beams range in weight from 175 to 400 kg.

Reinforced concrete beams can span larger spans than wooden beams.

To install the floor on reinforced concrete beams, it is necessary to use lifting equipment.

Installation: Beams made of reinforced concrete are spaced 600–1000 mm apart. Lightweight concrete slabs or hollow lightweight concrete blocks are used to fill the spaces between the beams; slabs are used for plank or parquet floors, while hollow blocks are used for linoleum floors or parquet on a concrete base.

Cement mortar is rubbed and filled into the joints between slabs and beams. It is necessary to insulate basement floors, soundproof interfloor floors, and insulate attic floors.

The price for a single linear meter of beam starts at $25. One lightweight concrete block costs about $1. 5. Therefore, you would pay around $65 for a quarter-meter of flooring on reinforced concrete beams.

Interfloor ceilings, which offer support and separation between floors, are crucial elements of multi-story buildings. There are several varieties of them, and each has unique advantages and disadvantages. Steel joists, wooden beams, and concrete slabs are examples of common types. Although heavy and costly, concrete slabs are strong and fireproof. Although they are inexpensive and simple to install, wooden beams can be vulnerable to pests and fire. Although steel joists are strong and flexible, they can be expensive and need to be well-insulated. Knowing these distinctions makes it easier to select the appropriate type for a given building’s requirements.

Beamless floors.

They are uniform components (slabs or panels) arranged in close proximity to one another or as a single, monolithic slab that performs the dual functions of enclosing and supporting loads. Beamless floors can be prefabricated, monolithic, or prefabricated monolithic, depending on the manufacturing technology used.

Floors made of prefabricated reinforced concrete.

The most well-liked, particularly in brick homes. Two types of panels are used to install reinforced concrete floors: solid panels, which are primarily made of lightweight concrete, and hollow-core panels. The latter have what are known as "stiffening ribs," or round holes. The load-bearing capacity and width of the span to be covered are taken into consideration when choosing panels.

Reinforced concrete slabs have high strength and are designed for a payload of over 200 kg/m2.
Unlike wood, concrete is not afraid of dampness and does not require any maintenance.

Drawbacks:

When installing reinforced concrete slab floors, lifting equipment is required.
It is not always possible to purchase ready-made slabs of the required size, since they are manufactured in standard sizes at the factory.

Installation: A layer of grade 100 cement mortar is applied before floor slabs are placed. For walls thicker than 250 mm, the slabs must be supported by at least 100 mm of wall. It is necessary to remove any debris from the seams between the slabs and thoroughly fill them with cement mortar.

The approximate cost of the material is $110 for one floor slab. You will pay at least $35–40 for one square meter of reinforced concrete slab flooring.

Monolithic reinforced concrete floors.

Can take on various forms. Grade 200 concrete is used to create continuous monolithic slabs that are 8–12 cm thick and supported by load-bearing walls in monolithic reinforced concrete flooring. A monolithic floor with a thickness of 200 mm weighs between 480 and 500 kg per square meter.

Monolithic floor installation is done in four steps:

installation of steel load-bearing beams in prepared places;
installation of suspended wooden formwork from unedged boards (suspended from steel beams);
laying reinforcement (diameter 6-12 mm);
concreting the floor slab with M200 concrete.

Benefits of having a monolith:

absence of expensive loading and unloading operations and higher quality of the concrete surface, which does not require sealing joints, as well as the ability to implement complex architectural and planning solutions.

One of the drawbacks of monolithic flooring is that nearly the whole area of the finished floor will require the installation of wooden formwork. This does not, however, imply that the formwork must be installed in its entirety at once. It is possible to overlap in discrete spans, repositioning the formwork as the concrete hardens.

Installation: Before proceeding with the installation of the ceiling, it is necessary to build formwork (it can be purchased ready-made or rented), which consists of telescopic racks, tripods, uniforks, beams, flooring and plywood. Formwork made of wooden and aluminum beams allows for formwork of floors of any configuration – rectangular, cantilever and even round. Sheets of plywood are placed on the upper wooden part of the beam, forming formwork for pouring concrete. Next, install and secure the reinforcement cage. the ends of steel rods 60-80 cm long are bent and tied with wire with reinforcement. Then concreting is carried out over the entire area of the ceiling to a height of 10-30 cm. Full adhesion of concrete occurs after 28 days.

Type of Interfloor Ceiling	Features and Disadvantages
Reinforced Concrete Slab	Features: Strong and durable, capable of bearing heavy loads. Disadvantages: Requires formwork during construction, can be time-consuming and costly.
Beam and Block System	Features: Quick to install, relatively lightweight, allows for easy installation of services. Disadvantages: Limited spans compared to reinforced concrete, may require additional fire protection.
Hollow Core Slab	Features: Lightweight, good sound insulation properties, often precast for quicker installation. Disadvantages: Limited span capabilities, careful handling required during installation to avoid damage.
Timber Joist and Floorboards	Features: Economical, relatively quick installation, flexible in design. Disadvantages: Susceptible to moisture and pests, requires periodic maintenance.

For your building, selecting the appropriate interfloor ceiling type is crucial for both comfort and functionality. Every variety—wooden, concrete, and steel—has particular advantages as well as disadvantages. Making an informed choice can be aided by your understanding of these.

While wooden ceilings are lightweight and simple to install, they might not be strong enough or fireproof enough for larger buildings. Smaller structures or warm, traditional-style homes are the ideal places for them. To avoid problems like rot and pest infestation, they do need routine maintenance.

Concrete ceilings are perfect for larger buildings and multi-story structures because of their exceptional strength and fire resistance. They also provide effective sound absorption. Unfortunately, their weight and need for strong support make installation more difficult and expensive.

Steel ceilings are lighter than concrete while still being strong and long-lasting. They are a durable option because they are resistant to pests and fire. But if not properly cared for, they can be prone to rust and might need more insulation for temperature control and soundproofing.

The optimal option ultimately depends on your unique requirements, your financial situation, and the features of your building. For your construction project, you can choose the best interfloor ceiling by balancing the benefits and drawbacks of each type.