Block & Beam Flooring: New Building Technique Saving Home Owners Money

Suspended concrete floor construction is increasingly becoming the most common flooring system in residential architecture and construction.

When selecting a floor construction there are a number of functional requirements that need to be considered.

Some of these functional requirements include dura durability; strength and stability; resistance to ground moisture; fire safety; resistance to the passage of heat; and resistance to the passage of sound.

In this mode of construction, the suspended floor does not rely on support from the ground below but instead is supported by the external walls.

It is important to determine whether a block and beam floor system will be installed or not as there are a number of things to consider.

But what is this beam and block form of construction?

A beam and block flooring system is a construction method to support flooring, especially for ground floors as well as multi-storey buildings.

It is made of cast concrete, one piece of which is a prestressed concrete beam, which can be an inverted T-shaped beam or lintel, and the other piece is a simple rectangular block.

This technique is considered to be cost-efficient as well as easily understood by all contractors.

Furthermore, it is an economical option due to the off-site manufacture of the beams and blocks, fast assembly, and little requirement for specialist labour or equipment.

The installation of a beam and block floor is not usually weather dependent and therefore specifying this form of construction can reduce site delays that other methods might encounter.

How it Works

The hollow blocks used in this system have a high compressive load i.e. 7N/mm2 thus function as structural elements, unlike your typical hollow blocks that function as "fillers" meant to achieve the required structural depth.

These hollow blocks lock by 100mm on either side of the pre-stressed concrete beams.

The load path is therefore from the topping to the hollow blocks to the pre-stressed beams to the reinforced concrete beams of that particular floor to the columns and finally to the foundations.

To seal the joints, the whole floor should be grouted with a nominal 3:1 sharp sand/cement mix as soon as possible after fixing the floor joists and blocks.

Brushing the grout over the floor with a stiff broom after the surface has been well ‘wetted’.

Ensure the grout penetrates the joints to provide rigid construction.

Grout is a composite material generally consisting of water, cement, and sand.

It is typically used for filling voids under machines or other structural elements, sealing joints and openings in surfaces and reinforcing existing structures.

Here are five reasons to use the block and beam in flooring your house or apartment.

Strength and Stability

The beam and block system provides suitable strength and stability with specifically designed precast reinforced T-beams to suit the required spans.

The structural concrete topping can also be designed with a reinforcing mesh if required.

Here, the beams are suitably supported by the external walls and any load-bearing internal walls or beams.

Resistance to the passage of heat

Offers good flexibility with thermal performance. High levels of rigid insulation can be installed over the beam and block floor.

However, if EPS blocks are used, the floor system can achieve excellent thermal performance.

Sound Proof

The inherent mass and damping qualities of concrete give beam and block flooring construction a good noise reduction.

Additional sound insulation can also improve the performance of the flooring system if required.

Quick to Install

Beam and block is very quick to install partly because there's minimal need for ground preparation.

The resulting labour savings make it very cost-effective too.

Very little excavation is needed. All that's required is a minimum gap of 150mm between the soil and the underside of the beams to allow for ventilation.

Freedom of layout upstairs

Because the floor is able to carry higher loads, you can choose to use blockwork for any partition on the upper storey, not just the supporting walls.

That means you can incorporate solid structures wherever you want, so you won't have any difficulty hanging shelves or wall-mounting your television.

The Beam & Block will save you money, time, and stress compared to the traditional slab method of construction.