Part 1 of 2
Floors & Flooring
Last reviewed 16 Sept 2026 · 9 min read
Components of a floor
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Sub-grade | Natural ground or compacted filling (sand, moorum, earth) forming the base |
| Base course (soling / hardcore) | Layer of brick bats, stone soling, broken stone or sand — distributes load, provides a firm and capillary-breaking layer |
| Sub-floor (base concrete) | Layer of lean cement concrete (e.g. 1 : 4 : 8) or lime concrete, commonly about 75–100 mm thick, giving a rigid level base |
| Damp-proof membrane (where required) | Polythene sheet or bitumen layer against rising moisture |
| Bedding / screed | Mortar bed or screed for laying finishes |
| Floor finish (topping/covering) | Wearing surface — concrete, stone, tiles, timber, resilient finishes |
Requirements of a good floor
- Durability and hardness — resistance to wear, abrasion and impact.
- Smoothness yet non-slip surface (especially in wet areas).
- Cleanliness and hygiene — impervious, easy to clean, no dust.
- Damp resistance and water resistance in wet areas.
- Thermal insulation (warm to touch) and sound insulation (upper floors — impact noise).
- Fire resistance and chemical resistance (industrial floors).
- Good appearance, ease of maintenance and repair.
- Economy in initial and maintenance cost.
Ground floor construction
- Excavation and levelling of the area; removal of organic topsoil.
- Filling in layers (commonly with sand or moorum) with watering and compaction; anti-termite treatment of soil where required.
- Soling / base course — brick bats or stones laid and consolidated; sand filled in joints.
- Base concrete (e.g. 1 : 4 : 8 PCC) laid to levels and slopes; cured.
- Damp-proof membrane, if specified.
- Floor finish laid on a mortar bed or screed; joints and panels formed; curing.
- Skirting/dado and finishing (polishing where specified).
Types of floor finishes
| Floor finish | Description / features | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Mud (earthen) flooring | Rammed earth finished with a cow-dung wash | Rural and low-cost buildings; needs frequent maintenance |
| Moorum flooring | Compacted moorum (gravelly soil) layer | Low-cost, temporary |
| Brick flooring | Bricks laid flat or on edge in mortar over a base, joints pointed | Godowns, stables, pavements, low-cost buildings |
| Flagstone flooring | Stone slabs (sandstone, slate, Kota stone) laid in mortar | Durable — verandahs, courtyards, corridors, public buildings; Kota stone (a limestone from Rajasthan) is widely used |
| Cement concrete flooring (IPS — Indian patent stone) | Topping of rich concrete (e.g. 1 : 2 : 4), commonly about 25–40 mm thick, laid in panels over base concrete, trowelled smooth; panels separated by glass or aluminium strips to control shrinkage cracks | Economical, durable — residences, stores, schools |
| Granolithic flooring | Hard-wearing topping of cement with granite chips (e.g. 1 : 1 : 2), laid monolithic or bonded | Heavy traffic — factories, workshops, garages |
| Terrazzo flooring | Marble chips mixed with white/coloured cement laid over a base, ground and polished after hardening; divider strips (brass, glass, aluminium) form panels; in-situ or precast terrazzo tiles | Attractive, durable, hygienic — hospitals, offices, residences |
| Mosaic flooring | Irregular pieces of marble/tiles or small glass tiles set in cement, ground and polished | Decorative floors, bathrooms |
| Marble flooring | Polished marble slabs or tiles | Elegant, smooth — residences, hotels, public buildings; slippery when wet; softer than granite |
| Granite flooring | Hard, durable polished or flamed granite slabs | Heavy traffic, lobbies, stairs, exteriors (flamed finish anti-slip) |
| Ceramic tiles | Glazed/unglazed burnt clay tiles | Residences, bathrooms, kitchens |
| Vitrified tiles | Fully vitrified, very low water absorption, high strength and abrasion resistance; polished, glazed or full-body | Most common modern flooring — residences, offices, commercial buildings |
| Timber flooring | Strip flooring (tongued and grooved boards), parquet (small wood blocks in patterns, e.g. herringbone), engineered/laminated wood | Warm, resilient — auditoria, gymnasiums, dance floors, residences; needs protection from moisture and termites |
| Rubber flooring | Rubber sheets/tiles — resilient, noiseless, non-slip | Hospitals, offices, sports areas |
| Linoleum | Oxidised linseed oil with cork/wood flour on hessian backing — resilient, quiet | Offices, hospitals, schools |
| PVC / vinyl flooring | Sheets or tiles fixed with adhesive — waterproof, easy to clean, variety of designs | Hospitals, offices, residences |
| Cork flooring | Cork tiles — resilient, sound and thermal insulating | Libraries, recording studios, auditoria |
| Asphalt / mastic asphalt flooring | Hot-laid mastic asphalt — impervious, acid resistant, jointless | Industrial floors, chemical plants, basements, roofs |
| Industrial concrete floors (trimix / vacuum dewatered) | Concrete compacted, vacuum-dewatered (lower w/c), power floated and trowelled, often with floor hardeners | Warehouses, factories — high abrasion resistance |
| Epoxy and polyurethane floors | Seamless resin coatings/screeds — chemical resistant, hygienic | Pharmaceuticals, food industries, laboratories, car parks |
| Glass flooring | Laminated, toughened structural glass panels | Architectural features |
| Carpets | Textile floor coverings | Offices, hotels, residences — acoustic comfort |
Laying tiles and stone slabs
- Base preparation — clean, level base concrete or screed; wetted.
- Bedding mortar — cement mortar (commonly 1 : 4, about 20 mm thick) spread in small areas, or tile adhesive (thin-bed) for modern practice.
- Cement slurry (neat cement) over the bed or back of tile for bond.
- Laying tiles/slabs to line and level, tapped with a rubber mallet; uniform joints with spacers; slopes towards drains in wet areas.
- Grouting joints with cement grout or polymer/epoxy grout after the bed sets.
- Curing (for cement-based beds) and protection from traffic; cleaning and polishing (stone, terrazzo).