INTRODUCTION
While building houses it is important to take care of the exterior as well as interior of the building as occupants encourage having beautiful surroundings to enlighten their home. Along with wall finishes many occupants also refer various floor finishes to increase the aestheticy of their home. Floor finishes are upper part of the concrete slabs mainly covering the floors. There are various types of floor finishes which will be discussed here. Choosing the right kind of flooring is essential as to know which floor is preferable in what type of weather conditions. Like for instance, concrete or marble flooring can’t be used in cold weather conditions as it will make lower the temperature of the house more. So, in this case wood flooring is preferred as it helps to maintain a warmer temperature inside the house compared to outdoor temperature. All these will be discussed in details.
TYPES
Some of the types of floor finishes are –
1. Wooden flooring
Such types of flooring is mostly preferred in cold winter as wood is a bad conductor of heat and so warm temperature is maintained in the house. Small pieces of planks when kept together leaving no voids in between, constitute the wooden flooring. In some floorings a thin layer of veneer finish is also given to enhance the look. The veneer finish comes in matte as well as in glossy form. It is solely up to the owner of the house to select the suitable type of finish.
It offers some advantages like –
- It is perfect for dry conditions and it can last several years in such conditions.
- It is easily recyclable and it gives a rich look to the house.
- It is easy to fit inside the house as not much tools are required for its fitting.
- It can be easily detached and shifted to other rooms or houses if required, thus keeping the budget under control.
Some disadvantages are:
- Due to veneer finishes, sometimes it may become quite costly.
- It can be easily devoured by termites if not treated with chemicals.
- Because of its limited variety it may not suit some wall finishes and so interior planning may be hindered.
Fig 1: Wooden flooring
COURTESY: MIKASA REAL WOOD FLOORS
2. Concrete flooring
Concrete flooring is preferred in hot weather conditions as it maintains the temperature inside the house cool. Nowadays, many textures have emerged in concrete flooring and so people are opting such flooring.
It offers some advantages like –
- Such flooring is cost effective as no additional finishes are required to be applied on top. Hence, single flooring does the job.
- It can withstand large number of loads.
- It is resistant to any kind of insects and can last several years in any condition.
Some disadvantages are:
- Sanding and sealing process is involved in laying it and so it is handed over to the experts.
- Micro cracks may appear due to excessive loads or severe earthquake conditions.
Fig 2: Polished concrete flooring
COURTESY: THE CONCRETE NETWORK
3. Laminates
It is board made of fibre and is compressed to make a thin flat plate. On top of it an image of materials like timber, stone, marbles, tiles, etc. is provided and then that image is covered with a protective coating. It often resembles wood and is available in various shapes and sizes.
It offers advantages like –
- It requires very maintenance.
- It can be installed very easily.
- It comes in different designs and so it offers wider variety of choices.
- It is economic and costs very less compared to other flooring.
- It gives 3D look to any image that is provided on top of laminates.
- It is scratch and strain resistant as it has many layers.
Some disadvantages are:
- These are harder than real wood and so it makes lot of sound. Hence, not suitable in roomshaving weak acoustics.
- When a plank loses shine or gets damaged, it cannot be refinished or repaired. Instead, a new plank is provided on that spot.
Fig 3: Laminates
COURTESY: THOMASNET
4. Ceramic tiles flooring
It is the most popular type of finish and is used extensively in kitchen and bathroom. It is made of sand and is installed using grout that is applied in between the tiles for perfect fitting.
It offers advantages like –
- It is durable.
- It’s maintenance is easy and is even recommended at places of utmost hygiene like hospitals.
- It comes in various shapes like rectangle, square, hexagon and so on.
- It is scratch resistant and dent proof.
- It can withstand wet conditions.
Some disadvantages are:
- It is difficult to install.
- It is brittle so it can break easily. Hence, it should be handled carefully.
- The grout in between the tiles need to be cleaned often as such spaces often get filled by dust.
Fig 4: Ceramic tiles flooring
COURTESY: THE SPRUCE
5. Rubber flooring
Such flooring are made from synthetic rubbers or natural rubbers and these can be recycled, thus, making it environment friendly. It offers great amount of elasticity and is mainly used for domestic use.
It offers advantages like –
- Because of its elasticity, it is extensively used on dance platforms to make the floor non slippery and bouncy.
- It is durable.
- It offers temperature stability inside the room.
- It is scratch resistant and is waterproof so it can be used in bathrooms too.
- It is cost effective.
- It offers variety of designs on floors.
- It offers good sound absorption and is good for acoustics.
Some disadvantages are:
- It is sometimes difficult to clean and maintain as often dirt sticks on the surface.
- When one portion gets damaged then the entire flooring needs to be replaced as patching work is not possible.
- Foot impressions can be seen on the flooring and this may affect the aestheticy of the surroundings.
Fig 5: Rubber flooring
COURTESY: THE CONSTRUCTION SPECIFIER
CONCLUSION
There are many more variety of finishes in the market that can be used in homes to increase the beauty of the surroundings. Nowadays, not only in case of interiors but in case of exteriors also rubber flooring is preferred like artificial grass flooring that resembles real grass and is used in terraces. Also, in developed cities, tiles and other flooring is provided in pavements and outdoor areas with an attempt to make the cities beautiful.
REFERENCES
- Designing Buildings Wiki, “Types of flooring”- https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Types_of_flooring
- Real Living, “6 Types of Floor Finishes You Need to Know”-https://www.realliving.com.ph/home-improvement/building-renovating/6-types-of-floor-finishes-you-need-to-know-a26-20161201
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