DIVISION 9: FINISHES

Types of Surface Finishes

• Concrete Surface Finishes

• Granolithic and Terrazzo Finishes
• Tile Finishes
• Resilient Floor Finishes
• Wood Flooring Finishes
• Ceiling Finishes
• Paint Finishes

1. CONCRETE SURFACE FINISHES

1.1. Steel Troweled Finish
Trowel finish is the most common and popular finish of concrete used for major types of applications.
After the concrete is laid in the formwork and leveled, the trowel is used to smooth and fine-level the
surface of concrete
• Hand troweling • Machine Troweling (power trowel
might be considered for confined or 'helicopter')
or small areas or where adjacent are typically used on large
finishes must be protected from commercial and industrial projects
possible damage caused by the where using hand trowels is not
use of troweling machines. feasible

1.2. Burnished Finish

Burnishing is the term applied to the finishing of concrete surfaces to provide a smooth, hard-
wearing, durable finish having a surface luster. It is usually produced by steel troweling the surface
until the concrete surface takes on a polished or glossy appearance of its own. Alternatively,
products such as floor waxes, liquid polishes and resin-based coatings can be applied to the surface
and burnished using polishing equipment

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 1.3. Broom Finish
The broom finish of the concrete is rough textured finished obtained by dragging a broom on the
troweled surface of the concrete while the concrete is still fresh.
Dragging of broom on the fresh concrete surfaces creates small ridges that provide for traction
control and slip-resistant.

1.4. Exposed Aggregate Finish

Exposed-aggregate finishes by definition, have the aggregates (the stones and/or sands) within the
concrete which would normally be concealed by a thin surface layer of cement mortar, exposed at
the surface. There are a number of techniques for producing exposed-aggregate finishes including
water washing, abrasive blasting, acid etching and honing: each creating a different and
distinctive appearance.
Aggregates can range from 3- and 6-mm 'pebbles' to large stones placed into the surface of the
concrete: often referred to as 'plumbs'

• Water washing
The water wash-off technique is the most common method of removing the cement mortar
at the surface of the slab and involves brushing and flushing the surface with water soon
after the concrete has stiffened.
• Abrasive Blasting (commonly called sand blasting or grit blasting)
is used to expose the aggregates within hardened concrete by eroding the cement matrix in
the surface layer.
• Acid etching

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 1.5. Salt Finish
The salt finish concrete surface is obtained by inserting coarse rock salt crystals using rollers on the
freshly placed concrete surface and washing it off with streams of water after the concrete is set.
This finish gives a decorative, rough subtle texture and skid resistance to plain or colored concrete. It
is mainly used for swimming pools or other wet areas.

1.6. Rubbed Finish

This consists of grinding down the surface of the concrete a day or two after it is poured, using a
brick of carborundum, emery or soft natural stone. With the rubbing, which is done with a circular
motion, a thin grout of cement and sand is applied to the surface and well rubbed in to fill surface
imperfections, and the work afterward washed down with clean water.

1.7. Tooled Finish

Mechanical tooling removes the surface by fracturing both the concrete and aggregates. For stained/
colored decorative finishes, fine details and features can be incorporated by using needle-point
scabbling equipment to remove only the surface layer of cement mortar to reveal the contrasting
colour of the concrete below.
Coarser textures can be achieved by bush hammering or point tooling the surface but these are
labour intensive and generally unsuitable for surfaces used by pedestrians

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 1.8. Stamped Concrete Finish
The stamped concrete finish is obtained by pressing the required patterns on the freshly levelled
concrete. This type of concrete finish after completion of their construction looks similar to stones
such as slates or flagstones, brick, tile or with proper skill they can look similar to wood.
Stamped concrete finish is widely applied for floor in patios, car porch, driveways and sidewalks.

1.9. Concrete Colored Finished

The colored finish on a concrete surface can be carried out by either pigment or stain.

• Pigment
Accomplished by adding the pigments directly to the concrete mix prior to pouring. Pigments
are available in liquid form or in “mix-ready” dissolvable bags.
• Stained
Can be obtained by applying stains to concrete of any age to obtain a more vibrant colored
finish. The application of stain is typically followed up with the installation of a seal over the
concrete to protect the surface.

2. GRANOLITHIC and TERRAZO FINISHES

2.1. Granolithic
Granolithic can be achieved by applying granolithic finish over the concrete topping. Granolithic
finish consists of rich concrete made with very hard and tough quality coarse aggregate (such as
granite, basalt, quartzite etc.)

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 2.2. Terrazzo
Terrazzo is a mixture of cement, marble chip aggregates and water laid as a topping or as a wall finish,
and ground to a fine, smooth surface. It is used for floor and bases where durability, resistance to wear,
and minimal maintenance are necessary. It is available either in precast form e.g. tile, or cast-in-place
form, with either a smoothly polished or non-slip surface.
The finish on terrazzo can be polished (high gloss) or honed (matte or satin).
• Standard Terrazzo
Standard terrazzo is a ground and polished terrazzo finish consisting mainly of relatively small stone
chips.
• Venetian Terrazzo a ground and polished terrazzo finish consisting mainly of large stone chips,
with smaller chips filling the spaces between.

3. TILE FINISHES
3.1. Cement Tile
Or hydraulic tiles are handmade colorful tiles used as floor and wall tiling. They are mostly known
throughout the world as encaustic cement tile. Like their predecessors, encaustic clay tiles, they
derive their name from the term "encaustic" which is an art term used for metal enameling that uses
a type of lost wax procedure. They have this name because of the intricate patterns and designs
that mimic the encaustic enameling process
They are manufactured by pressing in molds a plastic mixture of cement and sand. Surface color of
the tile is achieved by the addition of mineral oxide colors.
Thickness of cement tile is 25mm (1”). Common sizes are squares 200mm x 200mm (8”x8”), 300mm
x 300mm (12”x12”), and 400mm x 400mm (16”x16”).
When installing cement tile, the top of the base slab shall be left 50mm (2”) below the finish floor.
The tiles shall be thoroughly soaked in water before laying on a setting bed of cement mortar (1 part
of Portland cement to three parts of sand).

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 3.2. Ceramic Tile
Ceramic tiles are relatively small, modular surfacing units made of clay or other ceramic material.
The tiles are fired in a kiln at very high temperatures. The result is a durable, tough, dense material
that is water-resistant, difficult to stain, and easy to clean; its colors generally do not fade.
Glossy

Glazed Matte
Ceramic tile
Unglazed Crystalline
Finish
• Glazed
Have a glassy surface of ceramic materials fused upon their face to give them a decorative
appearance and to make the surface impervious to moisture.
• Bright Glaze
Have a highly polished surface and reflect image clearly

• Matte Glaze
Do not clearly reflect an image or are entirely without sheen

• Crystalline Glaze
Distinctive type which is costly to produce. These are characterized by a texture
featuring crystals of various size, shapes and colors.

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 • Unglazed
Composed of the same ingredient throughout and derive their color and texture from the
materials of which the body is made

Vitrification
Vitrification is a measure of the density of tile bodies and is generally classified into four degrees:
• Nonvitreous tiles
have a degree of density that permits moisture absorption of more than 7% of the weight of
the tile but does not prevent the tile from having a high degree of strength.
• Semivitreous Tiles
Moisture absoption is 3-7% of tile weight
• Vitreous Tiles
have a moisture absorption of less than 3% and a body density which prevents any
penetration of dirt that cannot be easily removed.
• Impervious Tiles
The hardest. Their moisture absorption is negligible and they are readily cleansed of stains
and dirt.

General Types and Uses

• Glazed Wall Tile
Glazed wall tile has a nonvitreous body and a bright, matte, or crystalline glaze, used for surfacing
interior walls and floors subject to moderate foot traffic. They are also available with an impervious
vitreous body for exterior use where they are exposed to moisture and freezing.

• Mosaic Tile
has a porcelain or natural clay body, glazed for surfacing walls or unglazed for use on both floors and
walls.

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 • Quarry Tile
unglazed floor tile of natural clay or porcelain. The tiles are impervious to dirt, moisture, and stains,
and resistant to freezing and abrasion.

• Pavers
Are standard sized unglazed tiles and similar in composition to ceramic mosaic tiles but thicker and
larger. They are weatherproof and can be used on floors subjected to heavy duty loads.

*Things to note: porcelain tile is part of the family of ceramic tile, which is clay-based material. It is like a specialized
type of ceramic.

*If you want to know if it is porcelain, check the section of a tile. It must have the same color all throughout the
material

*For additional information, if you ever wonder the difference of natural ceramic tile from porcelain tile in terms of
durability, application etc., please watch this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM5qJ7upFEI and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGm4H64rLdg

*Tile grout (2 kg per pack) ang tawag dun sa nilalagay in between tiles. (usually nilalagay lang to pag malapit na iturn
over ang bahay)

*Ang ginagamit pang palaman sa tiles ay SAND-CEMENT pero meron tayong ready mix TILE ADHESIVE: cement-
based adhesive designed for bonding ceramic wall and floor tiles, marble, granite and natural stones on
concrete surfaces. (mas maganda, mas madaling gamitin, mas kalidad, mas matibay) Inaapply ito gamit ang
notched trowel.

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*Para accurate ang distansya ng bawat tiles, mayroong nabibiling SPACER na usually 200mm at 250mm ang kapal
at cross ang shape.

*Pag nagtatatiles, dapat mauuna ang wall bago ang floor

*Homework: Alamin nyo kung ilan ang tiles sa isang box (depende sa kung anong size nung tiles). Kailangan nyong
imemorize. Mahalaga to sa estimates

4. RESILIENT FLOOR FINISHES

Floors made from materials such as PVC, linoleum, rubber, etc. are called resilient floors. Their degree
of resilience enables them to resist permanent indentation and contributes to their quietness and comfort
underfoot.
They can be laid to both wood and concrete subfloor.

4.1. Vinyl Tile and Sheet

Vinyl resilient flooring materials are divided into three major types:
a. solid vinyl
b. vinyl and asbestos combined
c. a thin vinyl layer applied to other types of resilient flooring materials.

The sheet vinyl has fewer joint (due to availability as sheets), they are used in spill, dirt or bacterial
growth prevention areas.
Hospital operating rooms i.e. for all those rooms where the bacterial growth is a concern make use
of these flooring. This hence promotes resistance to higher water penetration, as water and moisture
are favorable conditions for bacterial growth.
Advantages:
• Easy to install
• Variety of colors, patterns
• Cost Effective
• Low Maintenance
• Durable
• Grease Resistant

Disadvantages:
• Colors fade with exposure to too much direct sunlight
• Wears overtime
• Not for exterior floor
• Chemical stain
• Prone to yellowing
• Not environment friendly (made from petroleum)

Tiles:
Vinyl tiles (all vinyl) are made into the ff thicknesses:
- 1.3mm
- 1.5mm
- 2.0mm
- 2.5mm and
- 3mm

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 It comes in square: 300mm x 300mm

Plank: 200mm x 1200mm, 150mm x 900 mm, 180mm x 1220 mm (other sizes may also be avail)

Sheet:
in rolls 2.0mm and 2.5mm thick x 1.80m (6’) to 3.6 (12’) wide and in 50m lengths. The thicker sheet
is used in areas where heavy traffic will be encountered.

4.2. Rubber Flooring

Composed of natural rubber with various filling compounds. Because of the high cost of rubber, it is
rather expensive. They are produced in sheets and also in tile form.

Advantages:
• Absorb sound and resist static
• Brilliant colors and variety of texture
• Resistance to tough workouts and heavy traffic
• Low maintenance
• Soft underfoot

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 Disadvantages:
• Not resistant to soap, oil and many household solvent
• Smooth, untextured rubber tiles become slippery when wet
• Rubbery smell in the first couple of months after installation

4.3. Linoleum Flooring

The linseed oil that is obtained from the flax plant is the primary material of linoleum. The linoleum
floors are laid over a surface that is dry and damp proof. Before flooring, it is very essential to brush
away all the dust and the dirt from the surface. Before it is cut out (linoleum sheets), they have to be
kept unfold for 2 to 3 days. The special adhesive is required for proper bonding.
Sold primarily as sheet, linoleum tiles are also available, but are prone to corners lifting.

Linoleum is recommended in areas:

- where a resilient, durable, colorful, greaseproof, waterproof type of flooring is needed;
- where there is spillage of water such as baths and toilet rooms;
- where there is spillage of grease, fruit juices, etc. such as kitchens, cafeterias; for countertops
and desk tops where heavy wear, grease and cooking spillage occure

It should not be used:

- on concrete slabs below grade and subflooring where dampness can penetrate from below;
- for exteriors;
- where any strong alkalis and acids may be present.

Advantages of Linoleum:
• Very durable
• Cheap
• Easy to clean and low maintenance.
• Maintains good looks because the pigments are thorough

Disadvantages of Linoleum:
• Can be dented by sharp objects
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 • Susceptible to scratches
• may darken or turn yellowish when exposed to sunlight, a process called “ambering.”
• Possible to stain
• Despite its water-resistant qualities, a linoleum floor that is exposed to standing water for
extended periods of time can be permanently damaged.

Common size:
It comes in rolls 6 ft x 30 yards
4.4. Asphalt Flooring
Smooth-surfaced floor covering made from a mixture of asphalts or synthetic resins, asbestos
fibers, pigments, and mineral fillers. It is usually about 1/8 or 3/16 inch (about 3 mm or 4.8 mm) thick,
and is nonporous, nonflammable, fairly low in cost, and easily maintained.

Asphalt tile may be installed on any smooth concrete subfloor above or below grade and on any
wood subfloor with sufficient strength so that no deflection can occur. In either case there should be
no dampness.

It should not be used

• out-of-doors or for interiors subject to strong direct sunlight;
• on concrete floors where dampness or hydrostatic pressure exists;
• on any under floor that is not smooth, even and clean (as the flooring will reveal exactly the
contours of the under-flooring surface);
• in many areas where water may be constantly splashed on the floor, e.g. shower rooms and
toilet rooms; and
• in areas where grease can accumulate unless greaseproof asphalt tile is used.

Advantages:
• Has proven itself as a flooring material over many years.
• Aggregates can be added to mix for both anti-slip and extra hardness.
• Attractive Finish.
• Extremely durable flooring material.
• Suitable to withstand for heavy foot traffic.
• Minimum disruption to the building during the installation process.

***to be continued

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