208 CHAPTER SIXTEEN
should figure the square footage required on the drawings,
noting the size of flooring required and the type of installa-
tion, and then, if required, should convert square feet to
board feet (Figure 16.9), not forgetting to add waste.
Block flooringis available as parquet (pattern) floors,
which consists of individual strips of wood or larger units
that may be installed in decorative geometric patterns. Block
sizes range from 6 6 inches to 30 30 inches, thickness
from 5/16 to 3/4 inch. They are available tongue and grooved
or square edged. Construction of the block varies consider-
ably: It may be pieces of strip flooring held with metal or
wood splines in the lower surface;laminated blocks,which
are cross-laminated piles of wood; or slat blocks,which are
slats of hardwood assembled in basic squares and factory
assembled into various designs. Block flooring is estimated
by the square foot, with an allowance added for waste (2 to
5 percent). The type of flooring, pattern required, and method
of installation must be noted.
Wood flooring may be unfinished or factory finished.
Unfinished floors must be sanded with a sanding machine
on the job and then finished with a penetrating sealer, which
leaves virtually no film on the surface, or with a heavy solid
type finish, which provides a high luster and protective film.
The penetrating sealer also will usually require a coat of wax.
The sanding of the floors will require from three to five
passes with the machine. On especially fine work, hand
sanding may be required. The labor required will vary,
depending on the size of the space and the number of sand-
ing operations required. The surface finish may require two
or three coats to complete the finishing process. Factory-
finished wood flooring requires no finishing on the job, but
care must be taken during and after the installation to avoid
damaging the finish.
In connection with the wood floor, various types of sup-
porting systems may be used. Among the more common are
treated wood sleepers, a combination of 1/8-inch hot asphalt
fill and treated sleepers, steel splines, and cork underlayment.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is made to look like wood flooring or tile.
Laminate flooring consists of four layers of materials fused
together. The top or wear layer consists of a clear layer con-
taining aluminum oxide and protects the flooring against
wear, staining, and fading. The second layer provides the
pattern for the flooring. The third layer is made from high-
density fiberboard and may be impregnated with plastic
resin (melamine) for added strength and moisture resis-
tance. The final layer is the backing layer that provides a
moisture barrier. Laminate floors are available with war-
ranties ranging from 10 to 30 years and provide a low-
maintenance alternative to wood floors.
Laminate floors are installed over an approved padding
material. Be sure that the selected pad meets the manufac-
turer’s recommendation. Some laminate floors are glued
together, while others snap together. Laminate floors float
over the pad and are free to expand and contract with
changes in the humidity and temperature. To allow for this
expansion and construction, trim must be provided at the
edges of the floor. A wide variety of trim is available in
matching colors. Laminate floors are estimated in the same
manner as wood floors.Resilient Flooring
Resilient flooring may be made of asphalt, vinyl, rubber, or
cork. Resilient sheets are available in vinyl and linoleum. The
flooring may be placed over wood or concrete subfloors by
the use of the appropriate adhesive. The location of the sub-
floor (below grade, on grade, or suspended above grade) will
affect the selection of resilient flooring, since moisture will
adversely affect some types. All types may also be used on
suspended wood subfloors and concrete as long as it is suffi-
ciently cured. Where moisture is present below grade and on
grade, the materials may be used exceptcork and rag felt-
backed vinyl.
Tile sizes range from 9 9 inches to 12 12 inches,
except for rubber tile, which is available up to 36 36 inches
and vinyl accent strips, which come in various sizes. Thick-
nesses range from 0.050 to 1/8 inch except for rubber and
cork tiles, which are available in greater thicknesses. Sheet
sizes most commonly used are 6 and 12 feet wide, with 4to
6 also available.
The subfloor may require an underlayment on it to pro-
vide a smooth, level, hard, and clean surface for the place-
ment of the tile or sheets. Over wood subfloors, panel
underlayments of plywood, hardboard, or particleboard
may be used, while the concrete subfloors generally receive
an underlayment of mastic. The panel underlayment may be
nailed or stapled to the subfloor. The mastic underlayments
may be latex, asphalt, polyvinyl-acetate resins, or portland
and gypsum cements.
Adhesives used for the installation of resilient floor-
ing may be troweled on with a notched trowel or brushed
on. Because there are so many types of adhesives, it is
important that the proper adhesive be selected for each
application. Check the project specifications and the
manufacturers’ recommendations to be certain that they
are compatible.
The wide range of colors and design variations are in
part responsible for the wide use of resilient flooring. For theFIGURE 16.9.Wood Flooring, Board Measure.