FLOORS, WALLS AND CEILINGS

floors

often DOMINATES THE VISUAL FIELD and impacts the acoustics of a space. Subject to wear. Usually the most expensive finish selected, in maintenance cost alone, and often is the only material that the inhabitants of the space actually touch

walls

mark the confines of a room; most CONSPICUOUS ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENT and deserve FIRST CONSIDERATION in the study of interior design. VERTICAL SURFACES that contain the doors and windows, and wc furnish the background. DEFINE THE SPACE and serve as complex systems, concealing the building services etc

ceilings

contain the volume of the space and shapes the DIFFUSION OF SOUND and LIGHT. conceals the distribution of conditioned air, artificial light, and the fire suppression system.

plenum

space between a finished ceiling and the structure above; main thoroughfare for the heating, air conditioning, fire suppression, and lighting systems esp in contemporary commercial interiors. usually 8" for residential

hard flooring

more closely resemble elements found in nature like WOOD, STONE, CLAY. DURABLE and PRACTICAL; establish a sense of permanence

resilient flooring

manufactured interior flooring. combines the comfort underfoot and quietness associated w/ textile floor coverings. RESIST INDENTATION while providing a dense, relatively easy to clean surface.

vinyl composition tile

most often specified type of resilient flooring today, because of its EASE OF INSTALLATION and AFFORDABILITY

vinyl sheet flooring

popular for applications in wc a monolithic surface is required to PREVENT THE PENETRATION OF DIRT AND MOISTURE

soft floor covering

carpet is unmatched among floor coverings for a luxurious feel underfoot. DURABLE ENOUGH to last the life of most leases and is relatively easy to maintain

nonporous floors

WATERPROOF and IMPERVIOUS to most household liquids. any sealer would soon peel or chip. usually the MOST DURABLE but resilient (china or glass likely to break when dropped). eq slate, ceramic and quarry tiles.

semi-porous floors

WATERPROOF and RESISTANT (not impervious) TO OIL AND GREASE. tend to react badly to spirit solvents (petrol, paraffin and white spirits). should not be sealed as this can irreparably damage the finish. examples are MARBLE, TERRAZZO, RUBBER, some linoleums, VINYL etc

porous floors

NOT WATERPROOF or GREASEPROOF and are LIKELY TO STAIN. becomes nonporous if sealed. the softer the floor, the more sealer is needed. eg. wood, cork, concrete, chipboard, old linoleum

adobe

natural building material made from SAND, CLAY, and WATER with some kind of FIBROUS or ORGANIC material (sticks, straw, dung), which is SHAPED INTO BRICKS. offers a significant advantage as a wall material because it STORES and RELEASES HEAT VERY SLOWLY

brick

BLOCK OF CERAMIC MATERIAL, used in MASONRY CONSTRUCTION and is sized to be laid with only one hand, and is commonly MADE FROM CLAY and comes in a variety of brown. can be used inside and out; looks well in rooms that open into the garden or courtyard

ceramic tile

MADE FROM CLAY or MIXTURE OF CLAYand CERAMIC MATERIALS, pressed into tiles and fired at a high temperature. natural clay is most commonly used, but porcelain is also available.

porcelain tile

FINE GRAINED and SMOOTH, can be formed into sharply detailed designs

the plastic

usually clays having HIGH BONDING POWER and some FLUXING ABILITY (tile compound body constituent_

the filler

this REDUCES SHRINKAGE in drying and firing and imparts to the body a certain rigidity w/c PREVENTS DEFORMATION UNDER HEAT. (tile compound body constituent_

the flux or solvent

MELTS under INTENSE HEAT and fuses the heat resisting elements into one solid mass

impervious

this kind of tile has the LOWEST ABSORPTION LEVEL (good for areas exposed to water)

vitreous

GLASSLIKE, a tile that is SLIGHTLY MORE ABSORPTIVE than impervious tile, but still at a very low rate (good for areas exposed to water)

semivitreous

tile has an absorption level of 3%-7% (should not be used on continually wet locations)

nonvitreous

the MOST ABSORPTIVE, at a rate of more than 7% (should not be used on continually wet locations)

glazed interior tiles

vitreous products made from the DUST PRESS PROCESS. glossy finish

ceramic mosaic tiles

usually 6mm-10mm thick. can be made of either porcelain or natural clay and be glazed or unglazed. mosaic refers to the small size of the tile of less than 150 sq mm.

paver tiles

essentially LARGE CERAMIC MOSAIC TILES. they are 150 sq mm or more in size and are made of UNGLAZED PORCELAIN or NATURAL CLAY. the slip resistance can be increased through textured surfaces or raised surface patter such as a DIAMOND DESIGN. generally WEATHERPROOF and are suitable for heavy floor service.

quarry tiles

UNGLAZED, EXTRUDED and made from either NATURAL CLAY or SHALE. SIMILAR TO BRICKS in material, performance, range of colors, and methods of installation. known to be very durable, impervious to moisture, stains and dirt, and RESISTANT TO ABRASION.

porcelain tiles

made with specific kinds of clays that have very specific properties and are FIRED AT VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE. generally DENSE and are impervious. has more superior chip resistance, and in some cases are more durable than granite, making it extremely DIFFICULT TO CUT.

homogenous

can be MADE OF ANY KIND OF MATERIAL and the category is applied to the fact that its COLOR IS SOLID THROUGHOUT

unglazed tiles

composed of the same ingredients throughout and derive their color and texture from the materials of which the body is made

glazed tiles

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 glazes

having a HIGHLY POLISHED SURFACE and REFLECTS AN IMAGE clearly

matte glazes

those w/c do not reflect an image or are entirely WITHOUT SHEEN

concrete tiles

tile made of CEMENT and AGGREGATE. it comes in natural, or gray and red colors. usually is square in shape. it can be very HARD and COLD.

cork

another natural resilient flooring. it's actually the outer layer of the cork oak tree grown in mediterranean. it is composed of GRANULATED CORK and NATURAL or SYNTHETIC RESINS that act as binders, then compressed and baked. offers excellent acoustic and thermal insulation. fades in strong sunlight and can crumble at the edges. can also be used as UNDERLAYMENT to increase resiliency of other flooring materials

vinyl cork tiles

cork tiles with a laminated top layer of vinyl w/c makes it tougher and non-porous; can be kept clean by damp mopping

engineered stone

composite material made of CRUSHED STONE bound together by a POLYMER RESIN; used primarily for KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS. related materials include geopolymers and cast stone. material is FACTORY MADE in SLABS, cut and polished by fabricators, assembled at worksite.

stamped concrete

may be patterened, textured or embossed. made to RESEMBLE BRICK, SLATE, FLAGSTONE, TILE, WOOD etc. commonly used for patios, sidewalks, driveways, pool decks.

fabric

OLDEST WALL COVERING. not appropriate in applications where wear resistance is a concern.

backed fabrics

textiles with back coating for barrier to PREVENT ADHESIVE FROM BLEEDING THROUGH and ruining the finish face of the fabric. also PROVIDES DIMENSIONAL STABILITY to withstand the stretching and smoothing operations of installation

paper-backed fabrics

process involves LAMINATING PAPER to the reverse side of the textile. STIFFENS the textile for easier installation and helps to hide defects in the wall.

latex-coated fabrics

process involves STRETCHING THE TEXTILE IN A FRAME and APPLYING A LATEX COMPOUND. it retains some of its inherent flexibility and is much less dimensionally stable than paper-backed textiles. can also improve ravel resistance and seam slippage.

unbacked fabrics

PRE-TREATED to make them suitable for sticking to the wall. ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT MATERIALS b/c you have to work carefully to smooth out the fabric as you apply it to the wall

glass

used as transparent or translucent wall to achieve a flowing space, permitting access to the outdoors or adjacent space. (popular is the curtain wall and glass-clad construction

granolithic

usually used for floors. it is a superior and less porous kind of concrete made from CEMENT, GRANITE CHIPPINGS and GRANITE DUST. it is very hard wearing. most often used in FACTORIES than in home.

laminates

material constructed by UNITING 2 OR MORE LAYERS OF MATERIAL TOGETHER. this is used to add properties to a surface, usually printed paper

lamination

process refers to the placing of something between layers of plastic and gluing them with heat, pressure, and an adhesive.

plastic laminate

produced with KRAFT PAPERS and DECORATIVE PAPERS with a layer of overlay on top of the decorative paper, set before they are heated and pressed together

high-pressure laminate

molded and cured at pressures not lower than 1000lb/sqin and more commonly in the range 1200-2000 lb/sqin

low-pressure laminate

a plastic laminate molded and cured at pressures in general of 400 lb/sqin

laminated flooring

MULTI-LAYET SYNTHETIC FLOORING product fused together with a lamination process. Simulates wood or stone with a photographic APPLIQUE LAYER under a clear protective layer. inner layer is usually composed of MELAMINE RESIN and FIBER BOARD materials. Designed for light domestic use. Life less than 5 years in heavy domestic use.

leather

material made from the SKIN OF AN ANIMAL by tanning or a similar process.

pigskin in tile form

makes for a long wearing wall material that is resistant to acids and moisture and may be maintained with a minimum of cleaning and waxing

linoleum

predecessor to CONTEMPORARY SYNTHETIC RESILIENT FLOORING developed in england in the 1860s. produced mainly with natural materials from sustainable crops and its waste is biodegradable. it is composed of OXIDIZED LINSEED OIL or other resins, mixed with GROUND CORK or WOOD FLOUR, MINERAL FILLER and COLOR PIGMENTS bonded under heat and pressure to a fiber backing (burlap or felt). SENSITIVE TO ALKALIS, has smooth, hard wearing surface available in a light gage

metal

light weight, fire resistant, virtually damage proof are the semi rigid vinyl plastics, laminated under pressure to sheet steel, aluminum, or other nonferrous metals. availabe in wide range of colors, in glossy matte or textured finish.

paint

made from a combination of PIGMENTS, OILS, RESINS, SOLVENTS, PLASTICIZERS and ADDITIVES

solid surface

MAN-MADE MATERIAL usually composed of MARBLE DUST, BAUXITE, ACRYLIC or POLYESTER RESINS and PIGMENTS. most frequently used for seamless countertop installations due to its low maintenance and non-porous features. it can mimic the appearance of stone, wood etc. can be cast into variety of shapes to fit sinks, shower pans and bathtubs

stone

one of th BASIC BUILDING MATERIALS of man used all throughout history in many forms. It is now basically used as a surface finishing material. simply put it as a PIECE OF ROCK, quarried and worked into a specific size and shape for a particular purpose.

sedimentary

rocks that are formed by the DEPOSITION OF SEDIMENTS; softest form of rock

metamorphic

ROCKS THAT HAVE UNDERGONE A CHANGE in structure, texture or composition brought about by natural agencies such as HEAT and PRESSURE making the rock harder and more crystalline; soft form of rock

igneous

rocks that are formed by the CRYSTALLIZATION OF MOLTEN MAGMA; hard form of rock

fieldstone

LOOSE, UNFINISHED stones found on the SURFACE OF THE SOIL. architectural stone in its natural shape usually seen in landscaped

rubble stone

consists of QUARRIED STONE of various shapes and sizes, but having IRREGULAR MORTAR JOINTS

dimension stone

quarried and squared stones, CUT INTO SPECIFIC SIZES, squared to dimensions, and of specific thicknesses

granite

hard, durable, low-maintenance stone. GRAINY IGNEOUS ROCK that imparts visual strength. relatively UNIFORM in COLOR AND TEXTURE. not as porous as other cladding stone, extremely durable and highly resistant to stains, weathering and corrosion

artisanal granite

more expensive type of granite

marble

preferred material for the overlaying of interior walls as veneer and for flooring from the very earliest age. any stone consisting of CRYSTALLINE and compact varieties of CARBONATE OF LIME or sometimes MAGNESIA. METAMORPHIC ROCK, WHITE IN PURE FORM enriched with impurities giving it special colors and patterns. softer and more brittle than granite. CONSIDERED A LUXURY MATERIAL

carrara marble

white or blue gray marble; 2nd most expensive

calacatta marble

has BOLDER and MORE DRAMATIC VEINING; rare; most expensive kind of marble

limestone

SEDIMENTARY ROCK chiefly formed by the accumulation of organic remains such as shells and corals. color range is limited to a neutral palette of BUFF and GRAY. more commonly used as exterior cladding for buildings; susceptible to staining and must not be expose to excessive soil. it turns into marble overtime when subjected to the heat and pressure of metamorphism

slate

fine-grained HOMOGENOUS METAMORPHIC ROCK derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash. Has been historically used for ROOFING; commonly used as a contemporary interior floor or wall finish. it is a DENSE, NON-POROUS STONE which VARIES FROM DARK BLUE to the heather colors and GREY GREEN. has 2 lines of breakability, cleavage and grain making it easy to split into thin sheets. can be sand rubbed to a smooth finish or honed

cleft finish

slate finish resulting from the natural face; natural and pleasingly textured surface created when freshly quarried slate is manually split into sheets.

travertine

sedimentary rock; a natural PRECIPITATE OF CARBONATE MATERIALS (aragonite) w/c is deposited from the water of mineral springs, especially hot springs, or streams saturated with calcium carbonate. when pure it is white, brown and yellow due to impurities. this stone is characterized by PITTED HOLES and troughs in its surface.

sandstone

sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-size mineral rock grains. varies in color, through gray, yellow, red and white. It is a common building and paving material and excellent for making grindstones, used for sharpening blades

onyx

CRYPTOCRYSTALLINE FORM OF QUARTZ; unique rock texture made up of crystals from the second most abundant mineral in the earth's continental crust. colors range from white to almost every color created through impurities w/c seep into the rock as it forms. Very rare and expensive

sardonyx

variety of onyx in reddish-brown, with white and lighter reddish bands; used for lighting fixtures, furniture and as inlays. translucent feature

quartz

abundant mineral in the earths continental crust. as crystal its luster is glossy to vitreous, but others may be waxy to dull. Comes in transparent, translucent and opaque forms. has very good workability, and used for sculpture as well as interior forms. used for flooring, wall facing materials, countertops and furniture

quartz stone surface

composite made up of 93% quartz, 7% polyester resin and pigment. it is non-porous, its polished surfaces don't need to be sealed, like granite or other natural stones, in order to keep them from staining; PRACTICALLY INDESTRUCTABLE AND MAINTENANCE FREE. it resists stains, is hygienic and does not harbor bacteria. good for kitchen

terrazzo

basically a flooring material. term is derived from italian word meaning terrace. Very low maintenance, seamless floor finish with luxurious look of stone mosaic and durability of concrete. can produce striking medallions or intricate inlaid patterns. A type of flooring material made from marble or other stone chips set in Portland cement and polished when dry.

rubber flooring

composed of natural rubber and synthetic rubber or both in combination with mineral fillers and pigments. highly resistant to a wide variety of harsh chemicals and solvents. the synthetic type (styrene butadiene) is good choice for high-traffic areas such as airport terminals

vinyl

a kind of PLASTIC. can be made hard and rigid or soft and spongey. can be made to withstand heat. has 2 types of plastic namely POLYVINYL CHLORIDE and POLYVINYL ACETATE, when blended produces a vast array of products. 5 key ingredients are polyvinyl chloride, fillers, pigments, plasticizers and stabilizers

polyvinyl chloride

PVC resin is the most important, most expensive ingredient in vinyl flooring. gives the flooring its wear resistance and durability

plasticizers

increase the vinyl's flexibility so that the flooring can be rolled without cracking or breaking

stabilizers

provide color permanence in vinyl and stabilize the pigments against heat and light deterioration

fillers

sometimes added to supplement the bulk and thickness of the vinyl flooring

mineral fillers

the most common filler for vinyl also serve as to improve the flooring's fire resistance

pigments

required for color because most vinyl is clear

sheet vinyl

allows a continuous surface to be formed. popular applications where spills, dirt, or bacterial growth is of concern. can also form an integral or monolithic wall base, sometimes referred to as 'flash cove', to simplify maintenance. Can be as expensive as medium grade carpet. has wide range of colors, patterns and textures

vinyl tile

advantages include lower installation costs and easier replacement of damaged flooring. VCompositionT (VCT) is the most popular and economical type of resilient flooring. tiles are composed mainly of fillers w/ small amounts of binder and pigments.

vinyl wall covering

second only to paint as the most popular choice for commercial interior wall surfaces. they are durable, easy to maintain, and provide a wide variety of decorative effects in a myriad of patterns, textures and colors. they never need refinishing, can withstand stains, acid, food, lint, and grease. resist marking, scuffing, dents, scratches, and peeling. also fire resistant

hardwood

it is by far the most often specified type of wood flooring for commercial applications

solid wood

comes in basic forms: plank, strip and parquet, all of which have a nominal thickness of 3/4 r 19mm.

planks

the widest solid wood, about 75-250mm or 3-10". varieties of widths are usually combined in floorings and are effective for rustic looks

wood strip flooring

the most popular choice among solid woods; about 40mm-60mm wide (1 1/2"- 2 1/2")

parquet flooring

consists of small lengths of wood strips, either individual slats or preconfigured into ties that are arranged to form patterns

block flooring

composed of wood units preassembled at the mill; usually installed with a sealant, adhesive or protective coating. usually 1x1m

unit block

made by joining short lengths of strip flooring edge wise

slat block

made by assembling narrow slats into larger units

wood veneer

thin slices of wood; thinner than 3mm obtained by peeling the trunk of a tree or by slicing large rectangular blocks of wood that typically are glued onto core panels to produce lat panels. also used in marquetry. It is too thin to be sanded

bookmatching

alternating pieces of veneer are flipped over so they FACE EACH OTHER as do the pages within a book. creates a symmetrical pattern.