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Building Technology - selecting materials for floors and walls

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Introduction

Calum Stringer 0600532 QUESTION 1 Steel stair construction has been selected. Provide a drawing of the section of one flight of stairs to Stairs 3, including the landings, to an appropriate scale to fit onto an A4 sheet. (30 marks) See Attached Plan QUESTION 2 Describe the performance requirements of platform flooring in the offices and select a suitable platform floor, with reasoning, for the offices. Provide a sketch to show the section of the platform floor with the floor and finish. (35 marks) A raised access flooring system is defined in Platform Floors (Raised Access Floors) - Performance Specification as ?load bearing fixed or removable panels supported by adjustable pedestals to provide an under floor space for the housing and distribution of services? (PSA Specialist Services, 1992). The functional requirements of the office floor structure will depend on whether it is ground or an upper floor. The floor is required to have sufficient load bearing capabilities without causing any undue deflection, sufficient fire resistance requirements for the building, thermal capabilities, adequate sound insulation, and for the (ground floor) damp proofing. Performance factors will include things such as delivery and construction time, the availability of labour, the compatibility of the office?s construction, requirements for the layout and spacing, its cost and the fire legislation requirements. ...read more.

Middle

The cost and maintenance of the ceiling need to be taken into account in the construction phase and the need for flexibility within the buildings usage. Plaster is a commonly used form of interior ceiling finishing. There are advantages with this type of finish, such as it can be seen for its durability. When the chemical reaction occurs once water has evaporated, a strong bond is produced. It is generally resistant to knocks and dents and It can be easily installed by a professional contractor. Plaster allows for a clean and smooth finish which can be decorated and aesthetically pleasing. The disadvantages are that if it gets damaged it is not always easily repairable. Plaster can dry out over time, crack and split with movement in the building and requires decoration on a fairly regular basis to maintain looking in good condition. Any piping and wiring that is installed behind plaster ceilings is problematic to change once the ceiling is finished. Wires have to be either pulled through the space behind the ceiling or it has to be completely removed in order for changes to be made and this can lead to significant costs. A suspended ceiling is hung underneath the structural ceiling. ...read more.

Conclusion

The advantages are that if correctly installed the finish is nice and clean and ready for decoration. Disadvantages with wet finishes are that it is prone to cracking where drying out and movement occur in the first couple of years of the buildings life and can be labour intensive. Dry-lining finishes are applied to a board backing. This is then finished by applying filler over nail holes and the joints followed sanding and preparing the surface before decoration. It is less prone to cracking than wet plastering. This finish is similar to painting on lining paper A tiled wall can be installed where the surface has been prepared properly, is level, dry, clean and free of loose material. The advantages of using a tile covering are that they are non-porous, which means the covering is completely sealed, and a problem such as swelling or becoming disturbed does not happen. They are low maintenance as non-porous surfaces do not absorb paint, oils, or other chemicals. Therefore cleaning is relatively easy and simple when compared to a plastered finishes and provide a long term finish, as well as being easily replaced. It can be seen that although there are disadvantages to installing a plastered finish over other, it is in my opinion that the advantages of using a plastered finish far out way the disadvantages and that based in the office environment it allows for modification and adaptation including redecoration. ...read more.

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