3.

Finish Materials
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Characteristics of a good finish
3. Plaster
4. Gypsum
5. Concrete Screed
6. Tiles
7. Finishing wood
8. Stone tails and panels
9. Acoustical Treatment
10.Special Wall Surfaces
11.Resilient Flooring
12.Paints
 Introduction
 Finishing can be considered as either interior finishing or exterior

finishing, using materials that may include cladding, doors, windows,

exterior trims, paint, and moldings.

 Exterior finishing may be extended to include sidewalks, patios, decks,

parking areas and even the landscaping that compliments and

completes the building.

 Interior finishing will include ceilings, walls, flooring and stairs, it will

also include trim, molding, casing, cabinets, and fixtures that meet the

owner’s requirements and those of the buildings occupants.

 Characteristics of a good finish

 It should be durable
 It should be easy to clean
 Noiseless
 Have Good Appearance
 Free from dampness
 Fire Resistant
 Low Maintenance cost
 Plaster
 Plaster can refer to gypsum plaster, lime plaster, or cement
plaster.

 Plasterwork refers to construction done with plaster, such as

a layer of plaster on an interior wall or plaster decorative
moldings on ceilings or walls.

 Plastering is the process of creating plasterwork, which has

been used in building construction for centuries.

 Tools used to apply plaster include, floats, screeds, trowels,

hawks, scratching tools, hammers, utility knives, nails and lath.
 Gypsum
Gypsum Plaster

 Gypsum is a sedimentary rock-like material that is unique in that it

can be heated to give up some of its chemically combined powder

and water, then restored to its original form when water is added.

 Because of this it can be easily formed into nearly any shape or

molded into a form or sheets more commonly known as gypsum

board (drywall) that are highly fire-resistant and easy to work with.
 Gypsum ……..

Gypsum plaster is made into several types of

boards used for many different applications.

Gypsum board is highly fire-resistant and

sound resistant.

Used in walls, ceilings and floors.

 Concrete Screed
 These are usually used as a base
for other floor finishes.
 There are many forms, monolithic,
laid over the concrete base within
a few hours of the base being laid.
 Bonded - existing concrete base
with aggregate exposed has a
cement screed laid over it.
 Unbounded - a cement screed is
laid over a plain existing concrete
base.
 Floating - is laid over thermal or
sound insulation materials.
 Tile
 Tiles are hand-made from natural clay or a
manufactured composition made of other
ceramic materials, quarry stone or metal.
 Tiles can be textured, smooth, embossed,
patterned, sculptured, or engraved and are
available glazed or unglazed.
 They are available in many types, sizes and
shapes and can be cut into nearly any
configuration.
 Tile…….
 Tiles are fired in kilns at very high temperatures that
result in a material that is tough, dense and durable
enough to be water-resistant.
 Tiles are suited to be used in nearly every facet of
construction including residential, commercial,
institutional and industrial buildings.

 Interior usage of tile can be found being used on floors,

walls, ceilings, fixtures and furnishings.
 a. Terrazzo Tile
 Terrazzo is a composite material made up of cement and marble

aggregate, it is then mixed and poured in situ onto a concrete base.

 Terrazzo provides a dense, extremely durable, smooth surface whose

coloring is controlled by the size and color of the aggregates and binder.

 There are several accepted systems used to create terrazzo depending

on the size of the aggregate chosen for the floor, the weight that the sub-

floor will support per square foot, control joint strip locations, panel

size and divider locations.

 a. Terrazzo Tile……..
 is available in slabs or tiles.

 It is very hard wearing, if it is

polished or wet it is very
slippery.
 It is very useful in commercial
situations i.e. malls and
shopping centers as it is very
durable and easy to clean.
 b. Mosaic Tile
This is a superior type of flooring

used in bathrooms and kitchens of

residential buildings and in hospitals,

sanatoriums and temples

Places where extra cleanliness is

essential
• They are laid in different sizes usually

in rectangular and square shapes.

• They are slippery when polished
 c. Ceramic tiles
 They include a wide variety of

clay products fired into thin

units which are set in beds.

 Varieties include quarry tiles,

porcelain tiles and terracotta

tiles.
 d. Porcelain tile
 Have a very low
water absorption rate
and hence are mostly
used in wet rooms
and areas where
wear and tear is high.
 e. Quarry tile

 The quarry tile comes in

various colours.
 It normally has an abrasive
fit in it to provide a non-slip
quality.
 It is mostly used in wet areas
like kitchens and bathrooms.
 Finishing wood
There are many geometric designs including those that use

diamonds, triangles, squares, round and rectangular shapes.

Wood flooring is classified as either solid or engineered. Solid

wood flooring uses the same wood species throughout the entire

piece and engineered wood flooring is a combination of a surface

veneer that is laminated to one or more plies of a wood veneer from

a less expensive wood species that provides stability and strength.

• The wood flooring may be pre-finished by the manufacturer or
finished on site.
• They must be treated as so and installed properly.
 Finishing wood……
 Many different species of wood are fabricated into

wood.

 The two major forms are plank and parquet.

 Hardwoods are more durable than softwoods

 Hardwood flooring can be a durable, long lasting

surface covering material, but it has to be properly

finished in order to protect it from stains, damage,

and moisture penetration.

 In addition there are a number of colorful and

creative decorative treatments that you can apply to

make the floor take on a variety of unique stylistic

appearances:
 Finishing wood…….
• Prefinished Hardwood Flooring: This is

applied directly to the material by the

manufacturer before it ships.

• Oil Based Hardwood Finish: The most

common hardwood flooring finish, this is

made from an oil-modified acrylic urethane,

which is relatively easy to apply, and which

dries in approximately 8-12 hours.

 Finishing wood………
Hardwood Floor Surface Treatments

• Stains: These consist of a variety of color changing

chemicals which can soak down into the surface of
hardwood planks, and tint them from within.

• Bleaching: This is a process that uses harsh

chemicals to lighten the color of the wood.

• Distressed: This involves a number of treatments

where you try to damage the floor in such a way
that it looks like it is aged. This is often done by
staining the material a very dark color, and then
bleaching it to make the colors look like they faded
over time.
 Finishing wood…….
• Wood Inlays: This is a fairly advanced

decorative treatment that involves setting

different pieces of wood into an already

installed floor.

• Marquetry: This is a process where a

very thin sheet of contrasting or

decorative wood is laid over an existing

hardwood floor, and applied as a veneer

using adhesive.
 Finishing wood……..
Parquet: It is a floor composed
of short strips or blocks of wood
forming a pattern sometimes
inlays of other woods.

Advantages of Prefinished Flooring

Treatments
1. Durability
2. Easier and quicker installation
3. Ease of maintenance
 Stone tile and panel
• stone tiles, and panels, used as wall finish materials have definite size constraints.

• the term ‘tile’ means a small, (generally no larger than 12”x12”) thin, modular
piece of material. tiles can be made of metal, glass, wood, leather, plastic,
ceramics, cork, and nearly any other material.

• ‘tile’ does not always mean ceramic.

• stone used as a finished wall surface can be achieved using two different
approaches:

• tiles: thin, small, modular, pieces, typically no larger than 12" x 12".

• panels/slabs: 3/4" up to 4" thick.

 Stone Facing….
When using stone flooring there are many factors to consider.

 The subfloor must be able to support the weight of the stone

 Other considerations should be given to the color and texture

of the stone finish and its abrasion and slip-resistance.

 The stone can be cut and laid in any number of design patterns

giving it much versatility.

 Stone flooring is laid in Portland cement mortar, the thickset

method, much like ceramic tiles.

 Stone tile and panel
 When stone is used in interior spaces it is
usually applied as a veneer and comes in
thicknesses ranging from 1” to 4”.

 Stones are laid in a bed of mortar and

anchored to walls with corrugated metal
ties.

 Larger stones require at least two wedges

be laid under them in each course until
the mortar hardens.
 Stone Facing ……..
Limestone and Sandstone
 These are derived from sedimentary rocks

 Limestone is rarely used for floors today as it becomes slippery

when it is worn.

 It is grey or beige in color.

 Sandstone is used more in outdoor paving than indoor,
but looks great in an area that flows to the outdoors such
as a conservatory.
 ts irregular natural pattern is its best feature and can
range from a grainy timber look to stripes and speckles.
 It is beige, brown, reddish brown, in color and some
stones are hardwearing.
 Stone Facing……….
Granite
 Granite is a form of Igneous rock made

up of feldspar quartz and mica.

 This is a luxury floor covering as it is

 Itanis expensive
long lasting,product
as it is hardwearing and resistant
to chemicals and has a timeless look.

 If highly polished it is slippery, but a honed finish

provides a more manageable finish.
 It comes in limited colors - black, red, green, grey,
 Stone Facing……..
Marble
 This is a form of metamorphic rock, it is made up of

calcium carbonate; it comes in numerous colors,

white, grey, green, ochre, beige and is usually

veined.

 It is a hardwearing beautiful product, expensive to

purchase and lay as it is heavy and comes in slab

form.

 Marble used of floor and walls of a hotel bathroom,

very stylish.

 Like granite it has a timeless quality.

 Stone Facing………
Slate
Slate is a foliated metamorphic rock.

It occurs as a result of shale rock

undergoing metamorphosis.

It is normally grey in colour.

However, it can still occur in other

colours: Purple, green cyan

 It can be slippery when used in external
locations subject to rain.
 Acoustical Treatment
 Acoustics is the science of controlling noise.

 Controlling sound within a building is critical

in the design of our residential and commercial
spaces to help maintain a healthy, enjoyable
environment in which to live and work.

 Acoustical materials are used to control sound

waves within a given area.
 Acoustical Treatment …….
 The critical areas of sound transmission come from roofs, eaves, walls,

windows, doors and penetrations through these areas for venting or any

other purpose.

 Interior spaces can be enhanced with sound absorbing and reflecting

properties used on walls, ceilings and floors.

 Covering the acoustical substrate with fabrics will heighten the acoustical

absorption and improve the quality of the surrounding environment in the

process. Mineral fiberboard is a common substrate used with fabrics,

wood or acoustical tile to control the acoustics within the room.

 Acoustical Treatment …….
 Acoustical ceiling tiles are made from soft,
sound absorbing materials like cork, wood
fibers, sugarcane fibers, mineral wool,
gypsum, and fiberglass.
 Acoustical Treatment …….
 Acoustical wall treatment: The sound absorbing materials and placement of

walls within an area help control the effects of sound waves.

Acoustical plaster, used to finish walls

Another product that is available in many sound-absorbing materials is a wall

panel. Many are made from molded mineral fibers and covered in fabric that is

attached to a standard wall surface.

These panels can also be fire-resistant and may be seen in gymnasiums, indoor

swimming pools and offices, in the form of pre-fabricated walls, or restaurants as

dividers and backdrops to name just a few of their uses.

 Special Wall Surfaces
 walls and partitions provide sound-control, fire and smoke

protection, insulation, privacy and protection.

 Interior walls and partitions in commercial and residential

buildings are usually non-load bearing and are there to meet the

needs and requirements of the owner and the occupants needs.

 Interior walls and partitions may be load bearing as well and

can be constructed with wood, metal or masonry.

 Special Wall Surfaces ……
Wall Coverings
• Wall coverings may include different styles of paneling finished in wood
veneer, natural finishes, like marble and granite, leather, or synthetic finishes
designed to be used in a variety of usages.
 Wallpaper is another type of wall covering used in both commercial and
residential applications.
 Wallpaper can be applied to practically any substrate when properly
prepared.
 Rolls of wallpaper come with the pattern pre-printed on one side and are pre-
pasted on the other side.
 Resilient Flooring
Resilient flooring is commonly used in all types of
buildings as an economical, reliable and long lasting
product produced in tiles or sheets.

When considering resilient flooring, physical properties

of the product must be considered.

Resilient flooring has a vast variety of patterns, styles,

designs, textures, and colors
 Resilient Flooring …….
 resilient flooring comes in varying hardness of
finish materials, from soft to hard, heavy
furniture without proper support under the legs
may cause permanent damage to the flooring if
the wrong finish is chosen or poor installation
of the product is done.
 Paints
 Many types of paints exist including oil-based
and water-based paints, varnishes etc.
 There are opaque finishes, transparent finishes,
and special purpose coatings that include high-
performance coatings, graffiti resistant coatings,
fire-retardant coatings, and elastomeric coatings.
 Paints…………
• Many paints can be selected when determining the conditions of the substrate:

• Oil-based paints that harden to form a tough elastic film

• Alkyd paints that have an alkyd resin added to them

• Latex paints that have a binder of acrylic resin

• Epoxy paints that have an epoxy resin that acts as a resistor to chemicals,

corrosion or abrasion

• Rust-inhibiting paints with anticorrosion pigments

• Fire-retardant paints with silicone, polyvinyl chloride or other substance

coatings that when heated turns into a thick layer of inert foam that slows the

spread of flame and silicone resin used in areas exposed to high temperatures
 Paints………..
• Reasons for painting walls and timber
surface:

• To provide good surface texture and color

• To absorb or reflect light

• To water proof walls and wood

• To facilitate cleaning for hygiene

purposes, as in the case of hospitals.

• Paints should be selected with due

consideration to fire resistance, heat
resistance, quickness of drying.
 Paints……..
Painting Process

The painting of most solid surfaces usually takes place in the following sequence.

a) Primer Coat
The primer coat is the first layer of paint that is applied to any new surface. This primer coat provides a

firm base to which subsequent surfaces or coats will adhere. A primer coat must be compatible with the

next one after it. The primer also serves as filter on porous surfaces, such as wood and cement walls.

b) The Under Coat

This layer is applied on top of the primer coat. A part from covering the primer coat, the under coat

serves as base for the finish coat. Paints used for the under coat should suit the finish coat in color and

texture.

c) Finish Coat
The finish coat is, used by the builder to obtain the desired colour and surface texture planned for

building. Various grades of finishes are applied to match the purposes of a building and the aesthetic

preference of the owner.

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