INTRODUCTION
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Designing home finish flooring involves standards of science and art.
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This designer prefers two formal sources of home floor design standards for finishing flooring in regard to masonry on masonry and masonry on frame
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As a rule of thumb, Before The Architect’s own experience down all the years with home flooring design tells that the longer the crew’s time on the job, the more professional generations behind ‘em, the better. That speaks to experience. Home flooring design materials and conditions require respect and discipline.
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There’s more to it than what's here
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What’s here will give you something to think about and talk about and listen for
DESIGN STANDARDS FOR HOME FINISHING FLOORING
Comment: In regard to the following standards for wood and masonry finish flooring over masonry subfloor, note well that Laticrete International offers specific section detail about application material and method.
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Underlayment to vinyl flooring shall be firm, level, smooth, and scrupulously cleaned of dust and debris before vinyl application
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Carpet shall be a prohibited finish flooring material
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Within a 3 linear feet radius of a toilet or bidet drain
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Within 3 linear feet in all directions from the full baseline of a shower door or curtain and
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Within 3 linear feet from the outside edge of any open side of a bathtub or utility sink
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Masonry tile - ceramic or natural - shall be applied over concrete slab-on-grade floor as follows
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Slab-on-grade surface shall be finished fine to medium broom
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Slab-on-grade shall have cured not less than 28 days closed to weather before application
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If curing compound is present on slab-on-grade surface (e.g., tests positive if dripped water beads up), then that compound shall be removed based on the type of curing compound present
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Surface coatings on the slab-on-grade other than curing compounds shall also be removed
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Membrane(s) shall be applied by choice of owner and contractor and applied to manufacturer's specifications from among the following types
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Crack isolation membrane, principally for spot treatment of hairline cracking
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Anti-fracture membrane, principally for area or given line cracks not greater than 1/8 linear inch wide
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Waterproofing membrane, principally for wet area application
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Uncoupling membrane, or configured polyethylene sheet-applied membrane, with thin-bed method, principally for wide area coverage separating finish material from substrate movement, eliminating application of either isolation or anti-fracture membrane.
Comment: Note that the latter – uncoupling membrane – is preferred for durability in most finish masonry applications to slab-on-grade substrate
Comment: Note that such membrane applications can build over rough floor significantly and designer shall alert owner(s) and contractor(s) as to safety and convenience need to keep interior finish floor tops of face at same elevation
Comment: A first-rate reply to designed high builds in flooring is to frame-in a double mudsill or sole.
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Slip sheet, or cleavage membrane, application
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Shall be preferred over uncertain substrate
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With the advice and consent of contractor(s) and owners and then
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Only with demonstrated, long-term durability
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Only with absolute assurance of proper materials and installation
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Masonry tile - ceramic or stone - over wood subfloor shall be applied as follows
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Waterproofing membrane shall be the safer from mold and mildew resistance and more durable in finish surface stability of the manufacturer's specifications and such membrane set as close as reasonably possible to finish material
Comment: Note that such membrane applications build over rough floor significantly and designer shall alert owner(s) and contractor(s) as to safety and convenience need to keep interior finish floor tops of face at same elevation
Comment: A first-rate reply to designed high builds in flooring is to frame-in a double mudsill or sole.
Comment: Porcelain tile increases in popularity for exterior applications – its durability is superior both to wear and water absorption. Its application varies somewhat from other masonry tiles, including, among others, cold weather application, contraction jointing, amendment to increase shear-bonding of mortar, wet coefficients of friction in both indoor and outdoor applications, lapping membrane up wall, refrain from polishing, etc. Please consider your reference to Tile Council of America (TCA) Method F104 et al.
Comment: Notice is given herewith that gluing may be the only suitable means of fastening subfloors over heated concrete and under wood finish floors
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Not less than 1 continuous layer 2-membrane, 15-pound felt paper shall be applied overall to 6 linear inches up boundary walls (to be set behind baseboards)
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Red paper may be applied between top layer of felt paper top of faced and bottom of face of finish floor with the advice and consent of contractor(s) and owners
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Finished not less than 14 days after nailing
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Wood finish flooring shall be applied over frame
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Installed at moisture content of 9%-12%
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Installed
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As strip flooring over frame, then frame moisture content shall be not greater than ±4% points of finish wood moisture content
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As plank flooring over frame, then frame moisture content shall be not greater than ±2% points of finish wood moisture content
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Red paper shall be applied between top of face of uppermost subfloor and bottom of face of finish floor with the advice and consent of contractor(s) and owners
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Finished not less than 14 days after nailing
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Wood flooring shall be finished as follows, in order from first
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Floor sander sanded consecutively with not less than three grits
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60-grit
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Except less, even to 20-grit with
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Except less, 36-grit, for previous varnish and similar coating and
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Then sanded first at 45˚ in 2 linear inch-4 linear inch passes before proceeding with
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60-grit
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100-120-grit
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150-grit-plus
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Where after the first phase a razor-edged, repeatedly sharpened scraper cleans out corners and around and along places the drum-sander didn’t cut
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Where after the scraper work
Comment: Know that you cannot clean up enough - not just to remove the mess like your mother would want you to; but also to minimize any way you can the dust and dirt you’re producing from mixing in and settling on the finish coats; and not just the floor, but also door panels, baseboards and other trim, walls, hearths, steps, any nearby surface – vertical, horizontal, or somewhere in-between
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Get out the orbital sander with 100-120-grit and smooth out the inevitable cups and grooves
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Polish or buff the whole floor surface area with a slow-turning, very heavy rotary polisher and either a 100-grit+ sanding screen (preferably coated with carbide) or even a buffing cloth
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Clean, clean, clean
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Buff again with 120-grit+ or equivalent
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Clean, clean, clean – vacuum and tack rags
Comment: With what shall you coat? Talk with the pros. Polyurethane seems most popular. Depending on your circumstances – heavy wear, need to floor-load very soon, etc. – there may well be other coatings to consider, even within polyurethanes.
Comment: How shall you coat? Slowly, patiently, with a good air draft, with all flames – pilot lights, electrical switches and such – off, not right on top of your work without first-class breathing gear. Hard not to be right on top with brush application, demonstrably a better methodology than the ever-popular lamb’s wool applicator, the latter being frustratingly prone to lots of tiny, tiny bubbles possible to diminish with really slow movement and impossible to avoid altogether.
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