UNIT 9 REPAIR OF FLOORS

Structure
9.1 Introduction
Objectives
9.2 Types of Flooring
9.2 1 Classificationof Floor Finishes
9.2.2 Pavements with Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete
94.3 Cobble Stone Flooring
9.24 Blended Marble T i e Flooring
9.25 Quartz ReinforcedFlooring
9.2.6 Cement Bonded Particle Board Flooring
9.3 Diagnosis of Defects in Flooring
9.4 Common Defects in Flooring
9.4.1 Hardwrc
9.4.2 Damp Proofing of Floors
9.4.3 ConcreteFloors
9.4.4 Timber Flooring
9.4.5 Clay Floor Tiles
9.4.6 Plastic Sheets and Tiles
9.4.7 Linoleum Floors
9.5 Repairs of Floors
9.6 Summary
9.7 Answers to SAQs

9.1 INTRODUCTION
You have already studied about defects in building and repairing materials in previous
blocks of this course. In this block repairing and preventive maintenance are given
importance. In this unit repair of floors are detailed and some special techniques for
rectifying the defects of the floors are explained.
It is very important to h o w about various types of floors provided for different
functional requirement. Requirement of cleanliness, wear resistance, appearance,
acoustics and other characteristics play an important role in selecting the floors. The
various defects requiring remedial treatment are described in detail in this unit. If defects
are present Uie logical solution is ofcourse demolition followed by reconstructions.
However, such drastic actions may not be necessary and repairing the floor by restoration
methods will be economical. The choice of repair and renovation depends upon the cost of
repair in both monetary and aesthetic terms. Even if very expensive, for a building with
high aesthetii: or historic value, repairing will be justifiable. In the case of limited defects
a householder will usually approach a specialised contractor for the necessary remedial
work. Diagnosis of repair is important to suggest remedial treatment recommendation,
treatment and warranties come next.
Objectives
After studying this unit, you should be able to:
know various types of flooring,
identify various defects in flooring, and
explain repair methods to restore the floors.

9.2 TYPES OF FLOORING

\I Various types of floor and their applications are explained as follows:
In order to achieve cleanliness the usual types of flooring, suggested floors are cast in-situ
iI terrazzo, precast terrazzo, Poly vinyl chloride (PVC) etc. These flooring are normally
Repair and Preventive provided in office, banks, hotels, laboratories, residences, schools, hospitals, institutional
MaintenanceTechniques
buildings.
Keeping in view the wear resistance, requirement usually flooring provided by Indian
Patent Stone, grano, ironite, RCC, metal flooring, polyurethane etc. These floorings are
provided fbr industrial building, warehouses, ports, public utility places etc.
Chemical resistant floorings are provided with acid resistant tiles, PVCIpolymer ceramic,
etc., which are normally used for laboratories, testing facility institutes and chemical
industries, etc.
The f l d g s provided for appearance requirement are by polished granites, kota stones,
cuddapah stones, marble stones, linoleum etc. These types of floorings are normally used
for hotels, lounges, residences, embassy offices, commercial institutional buildings.
Acoustic floorings are constructed by wooden, cork tiles floorings which are mainly used
for theaters, auditorium, indoor stadiums, recreation buildings, etc.
Anti-slippery floorings are mainly provided with ceramic tiles, chequered terrazzo tiles,
unpolished stone slabs PVC etc., which are being used for ramps, staircases, service areas,
gallerie$,pedestrians areas of public buildings.
The cavity flooring can be done by wooden boards with fire retardant paint is provided for
computer rooms.
9.2.1 Classification of Floor Finishes
The general clarification of floor finishes, which are in usage is given in Figure 9.1.

TYPES OF FLOOR FINISHES

I "

Vspium flooring
pf$q
Cement tiles/i.cko tiles
Clay tile

41- mosaic
Acid proof tiks
*
Naturally wurring

Marble
Granite
CudappaJShahabad
Kota, Agra, Katni stone
Wooden floors
Thin tile PVG sheet

Cavity flooring
carpets

Figure 9.1: CLesslilcaUon of noor FMshe

9.2.2 Pavements with Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete 1

The inclusion of fibre reinforcement in concrete can enhance many of the engineering
properties of concrete, such as fracture toughness, flexural strength, fatigue resistance,
impact, thermal shock or spatling.
Fibre reinforced concrete, in addition to its normal ingredients, contains fibres of discrete
length. The fibres may be of different diametre, shape and length and of different
materials. Some of the fibres generally used in fibre reinforced cement concrete are steel,
carbon, glass, plastic, polypropelene,nylon, rayon asbestos, basalt. The important
governing parameter aspect ratio of it is described as ratio between its length and diameter.
Taking advantage of above properties of fibres, steel fibres are added to concrete in the
order of 1-2% by volume to produce hard wearing coat.
Application of steel fibre reinforced concrete has been made in the areas of pavements,
overlays, airport, railway, bridge, car parks, industrial floorings etc. The thickness of fibre
reinforkd concrete overlay depends on the type of floor, intensity of loading, frequency of
- L
loading, and its usage etc. For an example this thichess of steel fibre reinforced mncrete Repair of Floors
layer-wouldbe 75 mm to 100 mm for industrial flooring.
9.2.3 Co/bble Stone Flooring
These are interlock pavers made of precast concrete available in several shapes and
colours. They can be arranged in an unusual and pleasing patterns.
The cobble stone flooring has a five important structural elements as shown in Figure 9.2.
They are as follows:

Figure 9.2: Typical Cross Section of Cobble Sbne Flooring

1) Sub Grade : The natural earth material found on site is generally used as sub-grade.
The main function of this element is to prove foundation for sub-base.
2) Sub-base :A layer of gravel, well compacted.
3) Sand Bedding :A layer of graded sand overlaying by lime stone screedinglsinter. The
main function of this element is to provide proper levelling and finishing the pavers.
4) Pavers :The exposed surfak generally the stones used for flooring.
5) Edge Restraint : The support used around the perimeter of the paving is an edge
restraint. The function of this is to hold the stones in tight position.
Some hints for laying pavers are as follows:
1) Prepare the sub-base and then screed the sand bedding as shown in Figure 9.3 (a).
2) Layout the pavers according to the pattern required as shown in Figure 9.3(a).

(4 (4
Figure 9.3: Procedure to Lay Cobble Sbne Floor
Repair and Preventive 3) Cut the pieces to fit the edges of the surface being paved as shown in Figure Y.~(G).
~ n t e n a n cTechniques
e
4) Vibrate the pavers to their final level as shown in Figure 9.3(d).

5) Sweep sand into the joints and vibrate it into place. Some typical types of pavers are
shown in Figure 9.4.
Applications
i) Heavy Duty: Containers ports, loading docks, warehouses, air port aprons and railway
platforms are made up by this floor.
ii) ArckiCectural: Drive ways, garden walks, cool sides pavements, shopping malls, cross
walks, parking bays and traffic lanes are made up by this Architecture type floor.
Advantages
a) ?'hey can be laid out in hours as they don't need setting, curing, waiting.
b) Practically maintenance free.
c) If underground repairs are to be done, only that particular position to be removed
and replaced. No demolition. No re-building.
9.2.4 Blended Marble Tile Flooring
80% contains fine grains of marble blended with PVC as a binding agents are used to
construct this floor.
9.2.5 Quartz Reinforced Flooring
Manufactured by calendering PVC, plasticizers, stabilizers, and pigments and is reinforced
by a special quartz mineral to aim increased resistance to abrasion, chemical attack and
indentation. Thickness,varies from 1.6mm to 3.2m.m.
9.2.6 Cement Bondkd Particle Board Flooring
This is made with 62% cement and 28% wood. The wood used is of fast growing species
like eucalyptus and caesarean. Due to adoption of special manufacturing process, the
boards acquire the strength and durability of cement and easy workability of wood. It is
highly fire resistance, weather resistant and is termite proof. These boards can be used in
mezzanine floor and the minimum thickness of blank shall be 116 mm and supported on
grid of 600 rnm C/C. These floorings can be used along with any floor covering Like PVC,
carpets etc.

9 3 DIAGNOSIS OF DEFECTS IN FLOORING

The defeat may be defined as an imperfection, deficiency or fault in the flooring element
,or struchqal component which adversely sects its functional performance or appearance.
Some defects are the natural consequence of aging and nonnal use, but many pfemature
failure can be traced due to lack of proper skill and care.
Broadly, the causes may be attributed to the following:
 1) Faulty deslgn decision
'Ihe most common faults may be grouped as under:
a) ~ h l u r to
e follow well established &sign criteria in the choice of structural
systems and selection of materials.
b) Ignorance of the basic physical properties of materials; e.g. failure to make
allowances for the differing thermal and moisture movemerits of materials
used in combination.
c) Use of new materials or innovative forms of cc.nstruction which have not been
. properly tested before. This is often the result of uncritical reliance on
manufacturer's literature quoting simdated laboratory tests.
d) Misjudgement of user and climatic conditions under wPich the material wiU
have to pertom.
e) Poor communications between different members of the design and
construction team,
2) ConstructionMethods
The conditions under which construction takes place are often far from ideal and coupled
with an emphasis on speedy completion, resulting in careless and skimped work. The
materials may be perfect on leaving the factory. They get quite easily damaged in transit,
during loading and unloading, unsuitable storage conditions on site and hoisting and
placing in position. To tackle this problem the construction industry is beginning to
introduce the quality assurance techniques developed in other industries such as quality
assurance (QA) groups and circle (QC). Essentially, techniques consist of setting down
appropriate inspection procedures and specifying levels of acceptance and rejection
together with method of sampling and testing performance characteristics.
3) User Adlvity
Certain defects may be related to the social attitude and unintended use of the occupier.
4) Maintenance
Improper upkeep and not attending to periodic maintenance and timely repair.

9.4 COMMON DEFECTS IN FLOORING

- - - - - -- - -

You are aware that floors are not a high risk area but in recent years, failures have
occurred, particularly in concrete smeds by chemical attack, usually by sulphates, on the
concrete base slab and through insufficient support to the slab by inadequately compacted
hardcore.
9.4.1 Hardcore
The very purpose of hardcore is to fill small depressions on site and to adjust the quantity
of cement needed in an over-site slab, following removal of top soil from the site. The
hardcore provide a good working surface and in a way reduce moisture uptake from the
ground. Materials mostly used in practice are broken bricks and tiles, blast furnace slag,
I various shales, quarry waste, gravel and crushed rock.
i) Hsrdmre and Sulphate Attack
!
A particular hazard to concrete floors canlarise from the presence of soluble sulphate in
!1 hardcore or in the ground water. Sulphate can attack the binded cement in concrete.
Ofcourse, the severity of attack much depends upon the type of sulphate present and the
1
level of the water table. For example broken bricks and tiles may contain soluble sulphates
and may be contaminated with gypsum plaster.
1 Coal mining waste too contains soluble sulphate. Attack by sulphate on concrete floors
I may be manifested initially by lifting of the floor and as attack proceeds, major lifting and
arching can occur, and the concrete surface cracks as shoGn in Figure 9.5. There may be
some movement of the external walls near DPC level also. These expansive forces are
! very slow to develop and such movement may not become apparent for several years.
1 You will be interested to know how the sulphate attack can be avoided. By using materials
such as coarse sand, grqvel, crushed rock, clean concrete rubble and quarry waste which
I
are usually free from soluble sulphates the sulphate attack can be reduced. It should be
Repair and Preventive
Mainte~anceTechniques

Flgure 9.5: Sdphate Attack on Concrete Roor

ensured that the concrete placed is of low permeability. If there is still a possibility of
attack, cement low in tri-calcium aluminate, such as sulphate-resistingportland cement can
be used. Where soluble sulphate are present in hardcore, a water barrier such as
polythelene sheet at least 0.2 rnrn thick should be placed to separate the floor slab from the
hardcore.

Figure 9.6: Floor Slabs may Settle and Crack K Hardcore Thlckncss is Excessive

ii) Hardcore and Swelling

Similar damage can be caused to floor by the swelling of hardcore. Materials likely to
swell from these causes are principally slags derived from steel making, refractory bricks
in chimneys and furnaces. These materials should not be used as hardcore.
iii) Hakdcore and Compaction
If hardaore is not thoroughly compacted it will not be consolidated later after the building
has been completed and a solid ground floor slab will no longer be supported adequately
over its whole area. This is particularly likely to happen when the depth of hardcore used is
excessive as may occur or1 a sloping site or where deep trench fill has been used for
foundadions.
The first sign of trouble is usually the appearance of gaps between the floor and the
skirting portion as shown in Figure 9.6. To avoid trouble hardcore should be compacted as
far as possible.
 9.4.2 Damp Proofing of Floors Repair of Floors

To prevent the rising of moisture from the ground and into the floorgnish, provision of
damp-proofing both in the walls and in solid ground floor is necessary. Many types of
materials are available. Selection of DPC has to be done with klation to resjstance to
ground-moisture-penetration.If polythelene sheet is to be the damp proof membrane
(DPM) the11it must have a minimum nominal thickness of 0.25 mm and a minimum spot
thicbess at any point of 0.2 mm and the laps between sheets must be double welded.
While providing this membrane utmost care is needed to ensure for not puncturing by
services. The figure shown below gives an i&a how the DPC and DPM is provided in the
floor and wall.
9.4.3 Concrete Floors
The main problem with concrete floors including granolithic and terrazo, apart from
sulphate attack, occurs due to shrinkage of concrete on drying due to shriiage of floor
tends to crack and exerts stress at the interface between it and floor screeds and finishes.
Most constructional problems have occurred on concrete floor screeds. If a screed has to
I be applied, care is needed to get a good bond between the screed and the concrete base. If
bond is poor, and shrinkage stress are high, the screed will crack, with a tendency to curl at
the edges of the crack?. Such area will sound hollow if tapped. F i s h e s applied, over the
concrete screed, such as tiles a d sheet covering are also likely to crack and split and,
ultimately, loose their adhesion to the screed. There are several factors which enhance the

I
shrinkages and cracking of concrete screeds, and weaken its bond to the base concrete.
These are:
i) inadequacies in the mix design of the screeds and of the base on which it is to
be cast,
ii) poor texture of the surface of the base concrete,
I iii) too long an interval between casting the base concrete and the screed,

I iv) inadequate curing, and

V) too thick screed.
The mix proportion of the screed should be such that the ratio of cement to aggregate
should not be greater than 1:3 or less than 1:4.5 by weight of the dry materials. The
amount of water used should be just sufficient to allow the screed to be properly
compacted. As water content increases so does screed shrinkage on drying and the amount
of laitance, when dry shows crazing of the surface. The base concrete should have mix
proportions not lesser than 1:2:4 and should be thoroughly compacted to provide a strong
foundation.
If concrete screeds dry rapidly, the risk and extent of cracking are increased, and the
concrete is likely to lack strength sufficient to withstand the shrinkage process. A simple
protection method will be by covering with polyethylene sheeting for at least seven days
and then allowing the screed to dry naturally.
Granolithic Concrete and Terrazo
Granolithic concrete is concrete suitable for use as a wearing surface and is made with
aggregates specially selected to provide the surface, hardness and texture required. This
type of finish is done for factory floors.
The difficulties that have occurred with granolithic concrete are shrinkage cracking, poor
bond to the base concrete and dusting of the surface.
Terrazo consists of a mix of cement and a decorative aggregate, usually marble, of a
minimum size of 3mm and this is laid on a concrete screed. The failure that have occurred
are of cracking and crazing and lack of good bond to the screed. The surface crazing is
increased by too rapid drying. This has been a common problem caused by failure to cover
the terrazo with sheeting.
9.4.4 Timber Flooring
Moisture poses the main problem in this type of floor and it can cause &cay and
movement. Timber floors, whether of board, strip, block or mosaic, need to be kept from
becoming damp. Timber in contact with a concrete base needs to be protected by a damp
proof layer, either with a surface or a sandwitch membrane. It is recommended that before
laying the wood floor, the state of the concrete base should be checked for humidity.
Repair and PFeventive Normally, relative humidity reading up to 80%indicate suitability to receive wood
Maintehapce 'hhniques flooring.
Dry rot attacks timber floors and skirting through infection from hardcore containing
pieces gf decayed timber. The dry-rot fungus is adept at spreading and penetrating cracks,
and these can occur in the situ concrete when hardcore settles under load. If dry rot does
occur though infection from timber in hardcore, eradication is difficult and the repair is
costly. Prevention is greatly to be preferred, by thorough inspection of hardcore and the
rernovl of any wood in it before use.
Suspended timber ground floor need to be adequately cross ventilated by providing
air-bricks to give at least 3000 sq mm of open area per metre run of external wall. A
common defect with wood-block flooring is due to expansion of the blocks through uptake
of moisture. When the forces associated with this expansion can no longer be
accor@odated by compression of the blocks, the latter will usually lift and arch, either
separatiely from the adhesive which fixes them to the base concrete or by pulling the
adhesiire away from the concrete.
The pusition of lifting may occur anywhere but is most common at the perimeter of the
floor. Probably the most common cause of moisture penetration in wood blocks is through
failure to provide an adequate Damp Proof Course under the block. It is important, in order
to minirnise potential movement, that wood blocks and, indeed, wood flooring of all types,
are laid at a moisture content likely to be close to that encountered in service.
It is al$onecessary to provide a compression joint, for example, a cork joint around the
perimeter of the floor should be provided. A less common defect is caused by using blocks
at too high an initial moisture content. When shrinkage occurs, gaps develop between the
blocks, which spoil the appearance of the finished floor. There may also be some curling
effect.
9.4.5 Clay Floor Tiles
The failures which have occurred have been caused by differential movement between the
base cbncrete or screed and the tile finish. Burnt clay tiles and the concrete have somewhat
different co-efficient of thermal expansion which lead to different amounts of movements
with temperature changes. Freshly laid concrete bases or screeds shrink appreciably as
they and drying shrinkage may well be opposed to moisture expansion of the clay tiles,
which occurs as moisture is absorbed by the tile.
Failures due to contraction of the concrete and expansion of the tile are manifested by
arching of the tiles, often over a large area, or the forming of ridges usually over one or
two rows. In such case, the tiles separate comparatively clearly from the bedding and there
is a general disintegration of either the tiles or the screed. The worst condition would occur
if ne$ly fired tiles were finnly bonded to a new concrete screed, and maximum moisture
exparision and dry contraction movements could be expected. Tiles should not be used
fresh from the kiln, even aging of a fortnight will greatly reduce the irreversible moisture
expansion. The thermal expansion properties of some commonly available building
rnaterlials are given in Table 9.1.
The tiles are bedded in mortar onto a separating layer such as building paper, bitumen felt
or polyethylene. The separating layers have the additional advantage of giving some
resistance to the passage of moisture from the base into the tile. However, even with their.
use, suitable constructionjoint for movement need to be provided around thc perimeter of
the tiled area. Intermediate joints are needed in large areas and at points where stresses in
the cbncrete base are most likely to occur. The concrete base and screed should be fully
mature before tile laying begins and after tile laying the floor should be closed to all traffic
for f4ur days after completion of tiling and then only 'foot traffic permitted for a further ten
days.
9.4.6 Plastic Sheets and Tiles
Sheet and tile flooring made from thermoplastic binders (principally PVC) are applied
mostly to concrete screeds and the common cause of failure is through moisture passing
fromlthe screed. The adhesives become detached from the concrete surface though often
r e w n s well attached to the plastic flooring. The sheet or tile becomes loosened, the edges
lift and damage may then be caused to them by nonnal traffic.
Degrtaded adhesive, oozing through the jdints may also cause staining. Sodium carbonate
can be left behind following evaporation of water which has penetrated through the joints
 " I ,

in thermoplastic and vinyl asbestos tiles. Such a deposit will not in many cases, prove Repair of Floors
harmful thobgh it mars appearance.
Table 9.1 :Thermal Expansion of Some Common Building Material

1 I
I

SLNo Material
Linear
I I 50 OC change
(mm/m) I
1) I Bricks & tiles (fired clay) 5-6 1 0.25 - 0.3
2) Limestone 6-9 ( 0.3 - 0.45
I I I
1 3)
7
I Glass - - 7-8 ( 0.35 -0.40 1
4) Marble 8 0.40

j 5) Slates 8 0.40
8-10 0.40-0.50
7) Asbestos cement 9-12 0.40 0.60
8) Concrete & mortars 9-13 0.45-0.65

1 1) Stainless steel (austenitic) 17 - 0.85

I I I I
( 12) 1 Copper 17 0.85 1
13)
14)
I
GRP
1 Aluminium
I
!
20
24
I
1 .O
1.2
1
15) Lead 29 1.45
I I I I

- - -- - -

C 19) Polycarbonate 70 3.50

Sometimes, inadequate bond between adhesive and tile can occur even when conditions
are dry. This is caused by too long a &lay between spreading the adhesive and laying the
tile, leading to loss of surface tack. This is a fault of workmanship and is manifested
Dtinci~allvbv the looseness of individual tiles.
/ In order to take up repair it is very much essential to b o w the cause for failure. It may be
possible to reuse loosened tiles or sheeting if all that is needed is to give more time for the
I screed to dry.
I
9.4.7 Linoleum Floors
Linoleum provides a satisfactory floor for residential and public building, railway coaches,
ships etc. It is also suitable for most types of non-industrial floors. In light industry such
as in electronic industry, linoleum flooring may be used as the risk of damage by cutting
for which linoleum is less vulnerable.
For the efficient planning and execution of the work, the information such as
a) purpose for which the floor is to be used,
b) floor area to be covered,
C) details of floors, and
d) type of soil in the sub-base and any seepage problem etc.
are very much essential.
IS-1198-1982 gives the code of practice for laying, fixing and maiiitenance of liioleum
; floors. Suitability, material, preparation of sub floors, laying and maintenance &tails of
I linoleum floors are given in the codes.
I
I
The thickness recommended are 4.5 mm and 3.2 mm for commercial and institutional
1 building respectively and 1.6 mm for domestic. Where traffic is low Lioleum is not
suitable for installation except when it is wholly inside the building. It is resistant to oils,
Repair and Preventive fats and greases. Thicker gauges shall be used where heavy traffic is expected. Linoleum is
Maintenance Techniques
not resistant to indentations particularly from heels or static load.
Linoleum when highly polished or wet can become dangerously slippery. The timber
sub-floor and concrete sub-floors shall be given as underlays for this floor. The type of
adhesive to be used and the manner of use shall be those recommended by the floor
covering manufacturer and the adhesive shall be compatible with the floor covering and
suitable for bonding the floor to the underlay or sub-floor.
Linoleum should be stored in room temperature of not less than 20° C for at least 48 hours
before it isunrolled. It shall be laid out flat for several days before it is cut to size because
after being,unrolled, it shrinks in length and expands in width-when two widths of
linoleum meet, they shall be left with one overlapping the other until expansion has
stopped then cut to fit.
The linoleum shall be laid either loose or fixed to the sub-floor by means of suitable
adhesives. Any priming coat should be allowed to dry before the adhesive is spread.
Adhesives are spread with a closely notched trowel as recommended by the manufacturer
to ensure even the coverage of the sub-floor to the correct thickness. The area shall be well
ventilated even when non-flammable solvents ate used in the adhesive. Smoking shall be
prohibited.
?he base area on which the linoleum is to be fixed shall be thoroughly cleaned free from
dirt and dusit, chemical, oils, paints etc. The adhesive shall be spread evenly with a trowel
as recommended by the manufacturer. The linoleum shall be fuanly pressed i n y e
adhesive within the recommended setting time of adhesive. To give maximum adhesive
contact and to secure a bond, the material shall be well rolled with a floor roller weighing
approximately 70 kg working from centre to walls. Alternatively, linoleum may be loaded
with sand bags at various points until the adhesive has gripped.
After laying and fixing all traces of adhesive shall be removed from the surface as the
work proceeds within the setting time. The surplus adhesive shall never be allowed to
remain longer than a few hours. Finally the surface shall be finished with a wax polish
recommendkd by the manufacturer. Alternatively a coat of emulsion polish may be
applied.
A period of at least seven days should elapse after installation of the flooring before use.
During this time the flooring shall be covered and protected from the effect of other works.

9.5 REPAIRS OF FLOOR

Concrete
Where the defect 'crazing' is noticed in concrete it is preferable to remove and redo the
concrete. But if the concrete floor shows cracks at junctions, then grooves are to be cut by
making use of the concrete cutting tool so as to make some predetermined panels. This gap
is to be filled with expansion strip or filler recommended for such work.
There are cases when disintegration of wearing surface are nuticed due to presence of
chemical. In such cases a rich concrete layer with weld mesh as nominal reinforcement is
first provided. After concrete dries up a layer of epoxy mix with suitable epoxy resin filler
is given. Aft& cleaning'the surface with hydrochloric acid, epoxy mortar (hardened CK
157/240) 4% by weight filler mixture of quartz sand and silica in 3:7 ratio or calcined
bauxite grit is applied.
Disintegration of concrete floors takes place due to constant dust accumulation in the pores
of concrete. Such defect can be repaired by application of sealant like modified phenolic or
epoxy resin floor sealant applied in two coat. This sealants fill up pores and improves wear
resistance.
The concrete floors exposed to oil, grease, mild acid etc., are slowly getting disintegrated
in course of time and application of rubber based sealant is the best solution to mer come
the problem.
Terrazo
Due to very law porosity of portland cement fine pores are formed in floors whereby the
floor absorbs Stain. These pores are to be sealed with sealant periodically.
Another defect is accumulaiion of dust which gets hardened subsequently and will be
,,"ficuitto remove by mopping. This defect can be overcome by scrubbing with electric
 scrubbing machine with solution of neutral cleaner (pH value not more than 10). By doing Repair of Floors
so the dirt will get loosened which can be then removed easily.
Formation of stains due to spilling of (a) ordinary writing ink (b) coffee stain and (c)
iodine stain, can be removed by the following methods.
Methods
a) The stains due to ordinary writing ink can be removed by a strong solution of
sodium carbonate in hot water mixed with whiting to form a thick paste,
applied as layer of 6mm thick and left to dry up. If colour of stain still appears
repeat the above process. Finally the floor is to be cleaned.
b) The coffee stained surface is moped with cloth saturated in glycerine diluted
with 4 times its volume of water.
C) The Iodine stain can be removed by applying alcohol and covering with
whiting or talcum powder.
Marble Flooring
The marble floor disintegrated by chemical attack shall be removed and redone. But
marble attacked by acids and alkaline will show dull surface appearance or decolourisation
take place. Such appearances can be improved upon by routine maintenance by damp
mopping, vacuum cleaning etc. While attending the maintenance work, acid cleaner or
abrasive cleaner should not be used. In such cases even soap solution is avoided. Porous
and worn out surfaces should be ground and polished.
PVC Floor
As pointed out earlier, separation of PVC sheet/ tile from the sub-base is a major defect.
In such cases the affected tile is to be removed, cleared of the adhesive applied earlier and
paste the sheet with sub-base afresh. Routine maintenance for PVC floor can be carried out
by usual cleaner and water emulsion wax or spirit. While doing the maintenance work,
care shall be taken to avoid excess usage of water or flooding of water.
Rubber Flooring
- Fats and oils react with rubber and hence soap solution cause damage to rubber surface. In
this case only synthetic detergents derived from sulfonated hydrocarbons for cleaning shall
be wed. To remove accumulation of dust, mild abrasion cleaner, steel wool pad etc. can be
used.
9.5.6 Linoleum
As far as this flooring is concerned, brittleness, colour fading, and wax accumulation are
the defects. Alkalies are injurious to linoleum causing brittleness and colour fading. There
defects can be overcome by cleaning the surface with non-wax stripper (neutral cleaner).
Forremoval of stains, abrasives have to be avoided. The usage of alkaline shall be fully
prohibited on linoleum flooring.
Cork
The main defects are discolourisation and brittleness. To rectify this defect clean the
surface with No.0 steel wool or abradant pad. The floor shall be swept with soft bristle
brush and occasional buffing with floor machine can give a long life to the cork flooring.
As a precautionary measure avoid alkaline cleaners and napthagasolene solvent on this
floor. ,
Asphalt
The general defects on this surface will be development of cracks and brittle pitting.
Dissolving the same due to temperature variation is another defect. In order to overcome
these defects water can be used sparingly and good quality mild soap can be used.
For asphalt flooring the preventive maintenance adopted is to avoid alkaline and caustic
cleaner and avoid oil, grease, solvent, varnish lacquer. This flooring can be avoided in
areas subjected to extreme temperature change.

1 Step by Step Repair Precaution

The most important step to avoid defects in flooring is proper consolidation of earth below
the floor topping. The mix for topping layer shall be mixed thoroughly to have uniform
colors. Provision of dividing strip for cast-in-situ flooring will take care of the difference
Repair and Reventi in thermal expansion of material used fdr sub-base to floor and topping. 'Ihe PVC floor,
Maintenance Tech$ ws
linoleum floor arc shall be done only after the sub base is fully dried.

SAQ 1
i) Can you name 10 name of flooring being adopted for construction phase ?
ii) Name the defects in flooring. Suggest precautionary measures to be
followed.
iii) Name the defects in concrete flooring.

This unit gives information about the various types of flooring being adopted to cater to
diiferent fupctions in different types of buildings, so as to enable the user, planner or
architect to judiciously select the right type of flooring.
The occurrence of defects, remedial measures and preventive maintenance for different
floorings is described in detail. Diagnosis of any defect for a particular flooring is
important to suggest timely remedial treatment.
In order to enable the maintenance engineers to prepare a systematic maintenance schedule
a good knowledge of floor care is essential. For this, complete information like type of
flooring, its compositims, limitations, adaptability, load and nature of traffic etc. will be
quite useful and handy. Apart from routine maintenance, periodic inspection to ascertain
the defects hnd to arrange to rectify the saine is essential.

9.7 ANSWERS TO SAQs

Refer respective preceding text for answers of all SAQs.