Requirements for the floors of the second floor, popular flooring designs and materials for them, installation technology in wooden and brick houses. Floor installation on the second floor is a flooring structure with an attractive appearance and good performance. The construction assembly technology depends on the floor plan and the purpose of the premises at the first level. The types of floors on the second floor and the features of assembly work will be discussed in this article.
The main types of floors on the second floor
The design of the floors on the second floor depends on several factors, the main one being the method of forming the interfloor overlap. If the base is wooden, the flooring is laid on beams or logs. In the case of using reinforced concrete slabs, the material is placed on the logs.
Here are the characteristics of the main types of floors for the second floor of the house:
- Floors on beams … In this design, the flooring is mounted directly on the logs holding the floor. Supporting structures (beams) are the foundation of the floor, its load-bearing elements. The work is carried out during the construction phase of the entire building. The shape of the bar can be different - rectangular, round, square. Blanks for beams are sold untreated and require preliminary finishing before laying in a regular place, which increases the installation time. Strength elements made of rough wood have advantages over logs - they are cheaper and more resistant to stress. But the structure has poor sound insulation, because the profiles are placed in the frame part of the building.
- Log floors … Lags are necessary to obtain high quality flooring in floor structures. In wooden houses, these elements are laid directly on the load-bearing beams. The workpieces have a rectangular cross-section of standard dimensions and do not require pre-processing. Installation of floors on joists is quick due to precise dimensions and smooth surfaces. During operation, the flooring is insulated from the walls and power profiles, which makes it possible to increase the heat and sound insulation of the room. Among the disadvantages can be noted a decrease in the distance between the floorboards and the ceiling after the assembly of the structure and the high cost of the material.
- Floors on concrete slabs … Concrete floor slabs on the second floor can withstand a much greater load than wooden ones; heavy structures can be mounted on them. The boards are supported by logs that can be installed on a pre-leveled surface or on technological spacers. As a heater, you can use the most environmentally friendly high-quality insulator - expanded clay. It has a significant weight, therefore it is not used in wooden structures.
Requirements for the floors of the rooms of a multi-level house
The floor of the second floor must meet the following requirements:
- Have maximum rigidity and minimum deflection. The overlap must withstand its own weight and load from furniture, household appliances, people, etc.
- The design is simple and in line with construction technologies.
- The materials used are not afraid of moisture, have a long service life, and are resistant to abrasion.
- The flooring is made in a fireproof design, and its fire resistance limit corresponds to the permissible values for this material. For unprotected wooden floors, this value is less than 15 minutes.
- The slab has good sound insulation and complies with special standards for residential premises.
- If the temperature difference on different floors is more than 10 degrees, the floor must be insulated.
- The load-bearing capacity of the flooring corresponds to the operational load of the entire building.
- The appearance of the floor should be attractive and not different from the style of the room.
The choice of materials for the floors of the second floor
The construction of the floors of the second floor consists of the following main elements: base, rough coating, heat and sound insulation, waterproofing. The choice of materials depends on the load on the coating and the conditions in which it will be used.
Power beams for floor mounting
Decking profiles are most often made from coniferous trees - pine or larch, which have a high bending strength. Hardwood planks may bend after a load is applied. When purchasing, make sure that the samples are free of knots, cracks, rot and other defects.
Before making the floor on the second floor, determine the load capacity and dimensions of the logs. For the calculation, you can use simple computer programs or apply ready-made proven designs.
The shape of the deck can be different - rectangular, round, square. The classic version of the power beam is a beam 140-240 mm high and 50-160 mm wide. The section size depends on the load, the span size and the step between the products. The beams are laid along a short span with a maximum length of 6 m. The optimal length of the supporting structures is 4 m.
Logs for floors of residential premises must withstand a load of 350-400 kg / m2, for non-residential unexploited - 200 kg / m2… If there is a concentrated load, for example from a bath or boiler, special calculations are performed.
A longer product will sag under its own weight and lead to deformation of the structure. If necessary, supports are mounted on the ground floor that support the ceiling structure.
Instead of supports, you can use reinforced beams (purlins) on which other beams are supported. The ratio of the height of the purlin to the length of the span should be 1:20. For example, for a span of 5 m, choose a support with a height of 200-225 mm and a thickness of 80-150 mm.
On construction markets, glued rectangular girders and I-beams from logs and planks are sold. In the first version, the profiles rest on the top of the purlin. When using an I-beam, the decks are placed on the lower shelf of the product, reducing the height of the structure.
Lags for creating flooring
They are made from coniferous trees, in which the material is soft, easily processed, inexpensive. You can use bars of the second or third grade with a moisture content of up to 18%. Stronger oak or hardwood specimens, but are considered elite materials and are expensive.
The beam should be rectangular, and its width is 1, 5-2 times less than the height. Profiles with such proportions withstand the greatest load. Products with a cross-sectional area of 75x150 mm are popular.
The section of the lags depends on the distance between the beams and is calculated according to special tables. If the span has an intermediate value, choose large logs.
The product of the required thickness can be made independently by connecting two boards together. If the height is less than the width, the product is placed on the edge.
Choose the height of the timber 3-4 mm more than the thickness of the protective layer so that there is space for ventilation under the flooring.
Insulators for floor installation
For heat and sound insulation, roll or block materials (basalt wool, glass wool, foam) are used. The protective layer is laid with a thickness of 50 to 200 mm, depending on the height of the floors of the second floor.
It consists of several levels:
- The lower part of the ceiling is protected from moisture with a vapor barrier film (glassine, polyethylene sheets).
- For sound insulation, you can use conventional heat-insulating coatings made of basalt wool or glass wool with a density of 40-45 kg / m3… A greater effect can be achieved when laying special materials such as "noisy".
- If the ground floor is cold, the floors are insulated with basalt wool, glass wool or foam. The temperature of the outer floor covering should differ from the temperature in the room by no more than 2 degrees. The ideal way to keep the room warm is to use mineral wool. Also, for these purposes, foam plastic, expanded clay, sawdust are used.
- Cover the "pie" with waterproofing material.
In different rooms, the composition of the protective layer may differ:
- The flooring in the nursery must be environmentally friendly and have impact sound insulation.
- If there is a shower room, bathroom, pool on the ground floor, be sure to build a protection against moisture.
- Waterproofing is not required when using EPS insulation.
- If water does not get on the structure from above, the moisture-proof film can not be laid over the insulation.
- The floor in heated rooms located above the living quarters need not be insulated, but sound insulation is required.
Lumber for the floor on the second floor
Choose the type of wood for the platform depending on the operating load of the floor. Pine, fir and spruce lumber, which is not recommended for use, for example, in the corridor, is laid in little-visited rooms. Solid oak and hardwood can be laid in any room, but they are expensive. It is better to make alder and aspen floors in nurseries and bedrooms.
The choice of lumber grade depends on the finish, financial capabilities and other factors:
- The first grade materials are usually varnished and used as finishing materials.
- Second-grade sawn timber is colored.
- Boards of the third grade are covered with linoleum on top or used in back rooms.
- The finishing coating is made from ordinary boards, plywood, OSB. To obtain a flat surface, it is better to use tongue-and-groove material.
- The top layer can also improve the soundproofing of the room by using solid board materials such as DSP.
- The tongue-and-groove boards adhere tightly to each other and also do not allow extraneous sounds to pass through.
- The moisture content of the workpieces should not exceed 12%, otherwise, after drying, large gaps appear between the floorboards.
- Please check the product for defects before purchasing. The surfaces of the beams must be parallel, otherwise it will be very difficult to ensure horizontal alignment.
Installation of the second floor floor on load-bearing beams
The scaffold is laid on the interfloor profiles during the construction phase of the building. The end result depends not only on the topcoat, but also to a large extent on the installation of the load-bearing elements on the walls.
Installation of timber on walls
The flooring is attached to the load-bearing beams that form the interfloor overlap, without intermediate elements. Floor works on the second floor are performed in the following sequence:
- Cover the beams with antiseptics and flame retardants.
- Make openings in the walls for the beams. If the partitions are brick or concrete, grooves (nests) are made. In log structures, provide for recesses at least 150 mm deep (for beams) or at least 100 mm (for planks). The step between the openings should be within 0.6-1 m.
- The first log is placed at a distance of at least 50 mm from the wall, the rest - evenly between the extreme elements.
- Decks can be attached to the wall in other ways. For example, if you cut the dovetail grooves in the partition, and make projections of the same shape in the log. Another option is to pre-fix the corners or brackets to the walls with self-tapping screws or anchors and put the beams on them. The latter method allows you to quickly create an overlap, but in operation, the connection is not very reliable.
- Cut the ends of the profiles at an angle of 60 degrees.
- Cover the ends of the decks that lie on the walls with bitumen and wrap with two layers of roofing material for waterproofing. Do not insulate the cut ends, they must remain in this form for ventilation.
- Prepare trim boards with a thickness of 30-40 mm, saturate with waterproofers and antiseptics. Place the samples on the bottom of the beam grooves.
- Lower the beams onto the planks and leave gaps between them and the walls of 30-50 mm on all sides.
- Check the horizontal level of the bar with a level. If necessary, make wooden blocks of different thicknesses, grease them with resin and dry them.
- Place spacers under the edge of the timber and eliminate the slope.
- Put all the lumber in place in the same way.
- Check the location of the upper surfaces of all products in the same horizontal plane using a building level. Correct slopes if necessary.
- Fill the gaps between the wood and the wall with mineral wool or tow to prevent cold air from entering. Fix every fifth sample to the wall with anchors.
Assembling the floor structure
The order of assembly of the floor structure and its fastening is carried out in the following sequence:
- Fasten the 50x50mm Skull Bars flush with the bottom of the bar.
- Place the subfloor elements on them and fix them from the side of the first floor with self-tapping screws. When installing, check the horizontalness of the bottom deck.
- To protect against damp fumes, lay glassine or plastic wrap on the floor. They are laid on top of the logs with an overlap with an overlap of 10 cm and fixed with a stapler. Glue the joints with construction tape.
- Place a roll or panel insulation material on top of the vapor barrier. Check that there are no gaps on the floor. When installed in two layers, the slabs must overlap the joints of the lower row.
- Cover the insulation with plastic wrap, seal all the gaps between the material and the base.
- After installing the insulation, subfloor boards are laid on the power elements. The material of the platform depends on the topcoat. For example, linoleum or a parquet board is laid on plywood 10-12 mm thick.
- Laying the floor on the second floor ends after making holes in the corners of the room for ventilation of the underfloor space.
Laying the floor of the second floor on logs
The construction of flooring and joists is used in rooms with high ceilings, because the bars raise the flooring. It can be installed at any stage of construction, even in a residential building. The work is performed in the following sequence:
- In the load-bearing beams, make grooves for the logs in increments of 30-40 cm. The distances between them depend on the thickness of the rough flooring and the type of topcoat, the values can be found in special tables. For example, if sheet material (plywood or chipboard with a thickness of 16 mm) is used for the rough coating, the distance between the beams along the axes is 30 cm. If boards with a thickness of 20 mm are used, the step is increased to 40 cm. The first opening should be at a distance of 20-30 cm from the wall.
- Place the logs in the cutouts with the smaller side.
- Check the location of the upper surface of the lags in the horizontal plane. Follow the bar pads alignment procedure if necessary.
- Fasten the beams to the strength members with nails or self-tapping screws. In the latter case, holes are pre-made.
- Attach boards or bars to the bottom of the logs to create a rough floor.
- Place plywood or other lumber that can withstand insulation on the supports you have made.
- Cover the prepared substrate with a vapor barrier foil. Seal the joints of individual parts of the film with tape.
- Place heat and sound insulation on the base. Make sure that there is a gap of 10-15 mm of floor ventilation between the top of the log and the insulation.
- Cover the cake with waterproofing tape and secure with a stapler.
- Lay a finished floor made of plywood, planks or other materials on the logs and finally secure. The edges of the material must necessarily lie on the logs.
Placing the floor of the second floor on a concrete slab
Lags for arranging floors are indispensable if work is planned on concrete floor slabs. The beams are laid in two ways - on a cement screed or on wooden gaskets. The first method involves preliminary leveling of the slab surface to the horizon.
The work is performed in the following sequence:
- Remove any dirt from the stove.
- Seal deep gaps with cement screed, knock down protruding elements.
- Using a hydrostatic level, mark the walls of the room with horizontal marks that will serve as guidelines for the maximum fill of the floor.
- Prepare a sand-cement mortar and fill the floor to the level of the marks on the wall.
- After drying, check the levelness of the surface.
- Before installing the lag, waterproof the base, because concrete absorbs moisture well. The operation is allowed not to be carried out if the ground floor is heated and the building is dry.
- Decide on the orientation of the boards (and, accordingly, the lags) in the room. Unlike wooden floors, on which the beams are placed perpendicular to the load-bearing elements, beams can be fixed on a concrete slab in any position. In hallways, corridors and other rooms with a high operational load, the floorboards are placed along the direction of travel. In living rooms, the boards are placed parallel to the light from the window.
- Place the logs on the foil and secure with anchors to the base.
To lay the lags on the gaskets, it is not necessary to level the surface in advance. Place the beams on the slab at specified intervals and check the horizontalness of the upper bases. Alignment is carried out by spacers that are installed between the beams and the slab.
Fix the wood to the board with screws and dowels. Place the fasteners next to the spacers. The further procedure for laying insulation and installing a finished floor is similar to assembling a platform on a wooden floor.
How to make the floor on the second floor - watch the video:
Installation of floors on the second floor is not fundamentally different from work on the first. The main problems remain the arrangement of soundproofing of the floor and the strength calculations of the structure. To keep the flooring in operation for as long as possible, follow the advice of our instructions.
