AR12--52 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL & STRUCTURAL

AR12
SYSTEM - IV

PREPARED BY: AR.SAEARA SAJU | TALENT INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE, EDAPPAL | SEMESTER 5

 MODULE--1
MODULE
Floor Coverings:
# Stone & Brick Paving
# Tiles, Timber, Mosaic, Rubber, Linoleum, Cork & PVC Floor Covering
# Specification & Details of Construction of Different Floor Finishes
# Repairs of Flooring
# Carpet Types & Laying Techniques

# Natural Floor Finishes – Shahabad, Kotah – Diff types of Marble, Granite

# Artificial Floor Finishes – Ceramic Tiles, Mosaic Tiles, Cement Tiles
 Natural Floor Finishes
1.Shahabad stone

 Shahabad town in Gulbarga district is a centre for Shahabad stone activities. Shahabad
is a variety of limestone from this part of Karnataka bordering Andhra Pradesh.
 Easy to work with and economical, traditionally it has been popular in public
buildings.
Being fairly hard, it lasts long without surface blemishes.
Generally available in grey shades, the neutral colour helps in masking dust and easy
maintenance.

We also get Shahabad in chocolate colour, which appears very rich. Both the variations
can be used with full polish to get a fine look or less polish for a rustic appearance.

Stones are cut in to tiles 1ft.x1ft. To lay in single or mixed patterns. A longer length,
needed for staircases, can also be procured.
Shahabad Stone - Unpolished
 Natural Floor Finishes
2. Kota stone

 Kota Stone is a fine-grained variety of limestone, quarried at Kota district, Rajasthan,

India. Many hundreds of mines are located in or near the town of Ramjanj Mandi and Kota
district.
The rich greenish-blue and brown colours of this stoneware most popular. Its an excellent
building stone.
It is mainly used for exteriors, pathways, corridors, driveways, balconies, commercial
buildings etc.
It is also suitable for use in chemical industries as flooring, wall fixing and lining. Other
colours–black, pink ,grey, beige.
Advantages of Kota Stone
Kota stone is hard, tough, oil resistant, and non-water absorbent, non-slippery.
Kota Stone is available in natural shades and it can be cut in to any size and shape as per the requirement.
It is an excellent building stone for humid regions and freezing regions, and it is non-porous and non- absorbent to water
Kota Stone is the ideal flooring material in the building and out side the building to impart a stronger & luxurious look to the
floors.
It is the cheapest stones among the other natural stones. Kota stone are available in different sizes slab/ tiles of 30x30, 40x40,
50 x50, 60x60, 30x60, 40x60, 55x55, and 60x90 cm.
 Natural Floor Finishes
3. Marble

The three classifications of marble are Dolomite, Magnesium, and Calcite:

Dolomite : Contains more than 40% magnesium carbonate.
Magnesium : Contains between 5% and 40% magnesium carbonate.
Calcite : Contains less than 5% magnesium carbonate.

Aside from these classifications, marble comes in endless colours and Breccia marble
patterns. Here are just a few of the hundreds of types of marble that one
might come across when searching for new floors:
Breccia: Breccia marble can vary stone to stone, and it tends to be a
warmer and darker marble. Deep browns and reds are common with breccia
and it looks great as a floor or countertop.
 Carrara Marble: This is the classic marble that you see in Greek and
Roman statues or fountains. It is a pure white marble and can maintain a
pristine look, depending on the stone. It is also one of the lightest marbles
available for flooring. Carrara Marble
Calacatta: Calacatta marble is often confused with carrara, and
while they are similar, they have very different characteristics.
Both have similar vein patterns, but depending on the stone,
calacatta is typically bolder and has more noticeable lines. It is
also warmer in hue and can bring a hint of drama to any room.

Limestone:
Limestone: Limestone is a type of marble, and a very popular
one at that. A naturally occurring stone, limestone is often tan
or beige and is visibly porous. This is a great option for
bathrooms, but should be placed strategically in a home. Its Calacatta Marble
porous and soft nature makes it susceptible to damage in high-
traffic areas.

Limestone
Aside from the different types of
marble, there are three main ways to
finish it and achieve different looks:
Polished Marble: We typically see this
finish in big hallways and grand foyers. It
is shiny and slick and can even be
polished to the point of reflection. Honed Marble

Honed Marble: This type of marble is

polished, but not to the extent of polished
marble. It has a matte like finish and does
not reflect as much light. However it is
still smooth and prevents slipping. Polished Marble
Sand Marble
Sand Marble: Sand marble stones are a
mixture of sand and marble and create an
antique, rustic feel in any room.
 Natural Floor Finishes
4. Granite

•Granite is a natural stone – an igneous rock that has acquired its name due to the graining structure.
•Generally seen in grey, pink and white colour
•After the rocks are quarried they are cut into slabs and polished. Granite is the hardest of natural stones and very
durable(more durable than marble).
•It is suitable for heavy traffic areas and can last a lifetime.
•Granite has very low porosity and when sealed properly it is stain resistant as well.
 Artifical Floor Finishes
1.Ceramic Tiles

Ceramic tile is made up of sand, natural products, and clays and once it has
been moulded into shape they are then fired in a kiln. When making ceramic
tiles they can either be glazed or unglazed.
Advantages
Ceramic tiles as flooring material is an wonderful and long lasting option
because of their strength and durability. They are widely used in residential
spaces, offices and other public spaces, and if not, they are always preferred as
bathroom floors and walls.
Being water resistant and easy cleaning, they are the best solution for kitchen
floors and walls.

They can be made in any size, shape, colour, texture and even can be used as
murals. So the huge variety allows people to choose according to their desire,
hence serving both functionally and aesthetically.
 Artifical Floor Finishes
Vitrified Tiles
Vitrified tile is a ceramic tile with very low porosity.
It is an alternative to marble and granite flooring. Vitrified tiles are often used
outdoors due to their water and frost resistance. There are four types of
Vitrified tiles -Soluble salt, Double charge, Full Body, Glazed.

 1.Soluble salt vitrified tiles are screen printed and polished.

 2.Double charge vitrified tiles are fed through a press that prints the pattern
with a double layer of pigment, 3 to 4 mm thicker than other types of tile.

 3.Full body vitrified tiles have pigment in entire body (thickness) of the tile.
This makes chips and scratches less noticeable and make this an ideal choice for
high traffic zones, but the process significantly increases the cost.

 4.Glazed vitrified tiles (GVT) have a glazed surface. They offer a wide variety
of design, art work and surface textures like wood grain, bamboo, slate or stone.
This is also an expensive process, but the cost is dropping as digital printing
techniques are introduced.
 Artifical Floor Finishes
2.Mosaic Tiles

Mosaic tile is manufactured by adhering ceramic or natural

stone pieces onto a mesh backing. Because of the limitless
variety of stones, the range of colours and textures available is
vast.
It is often used in decorative art or as interior decoration.
Most mosaics are made of small, flat, roughly square, pieces
of stone or glass of different colours.
These tiles are used to give a beautiful and original
appearance to houses. Mosaic tiles are available in various
different types such as ceramic mosaic, organic tiles, creative
tiles, glass mosaics etc. which can be used for different
purposes.
Mosaic tiles may be applied to both walls and floors, and
they are an excellent choice for areas that may get wet, such
as kitchens and baths, because the surface does not become
slippery.
 Artifical Floor Finishes
3.Cement Tiles

Cement tiles or hydraulic tiles are handmade colourful tiles used as floor coverings.
Cement tiles are not fired; there is no glaze layer on the surface of the tile.
They derive their durability from the combination of finely dehydrated ground
Portland cement layer and a more coarse layer of sand and cement.
The pigment layer is hydraulically pressed into the surface and becomes a part of
the tile.
Cement tiles are made by hand, one at a time, using mineral pigments, cement, a
mould, and an hydraulic press. The metal mould is handmade following specific
design drawings.
The pigment composition is a mixture of high quality white Portland cement,
marble powder, fine sand, and natural mineral colour pigments.
Cement tiles being handmade are expected to have slight imperfections, which give
them character and depth.