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Newco Concrete Beam & Block Technical information
Preparation and Void
All top soil and vegetable matter should be removed below the proposed suspended floor and it is common practice to level and blind as necessary prior to floor installation. A void below the floor is normally recommended with suitable ventilation and cross-flow. (Check with local Building control department for specific requirements).
Bearing
Brick / Blockwork: 100mm bearing required. Steelwork: 75mm bearing required. Staggered bearings are acceptable in most internal wall situations although on certain conditions / spans it may prove beneficial to use a 215mm internal support wall to avoid staggers.
Double Beams / Treble Beams
Non load bearing lightweight block partitions can be built off the suspended floor subject to loading / spans, by incorporating a “double / treble beam” directly under the line of the proposed wall. The rebates formed by double / treble beams should be infilled with site concrete.
Infill Blocks
Newco Concrete utilise: 440 x 215 x 100mm solid dense 7N / mm² infill blocks with a minimum density of 1850kg / m³.
Fixing Operation
On ground floors it is advised to lay beams on an approved DPC. Beams should be set out by the use of an infill block at each end of the beams to achieve the correct spacings. Double / treble beams should be set out first. Beams adjacent to walls at ground floor can be either against wall or offset with the first infill block sitting on the internal skin (common situation to accommodate internal soil and vent pipes).
Holes
Service holes can be accommodated by either cutting, drilling or omitting infill blocks as necessary.
Grouting
Grouting of floors is required as follows. Grout to be 1:6, cement:sharp sand (1:4 if in wet weather). Brush floor clean, wet thoroughly and brush in grout, first in direction of floor beams then across to fill all joints and surface irregularities.
Trimmed Openings
Openings can be formed in our floors by incorporating double supporting trimming beams supported off Newco Concrete proprietary steel shoe hangers.
Loading on Finished Floor
Once floor is complete, care should be taken not to load floor beyond its designed capacity and particular thought / care should be given if loading out floor with building materials.
Floor Finishes
a) Cement and sand screed minimum 50mm thick (with suitable insulation).
b) Floating T & G chipboard / timber on battens (with suitable insulation)
Floor insulation recommendations to be checked with local building control department. NB Newco Concrete load / span table includes a finishes load of 1.60 Kn/m² based on a 65mm cement and sand screed and 75mm of insulation.
Garage Floors
Garage floors can be accommodated with Beam & Block flooring if the following criteria is met: a) Imposed loading of 2.5Kn/m²
b) C20 concrete screed on garage floor.
c) A142 mesh reinforcement (or similar) to be incorporated into screed.
Cantilevers
Cantilevers situations are not recommended. (Please call our Technical Department for more specific information on cantilevered applications).
Fire Protection
150mm System
When used on upper floors, the composite structure of beam & block, screed and suitable ceiling finish will achieve 1 hour fire resistance.
225mm System
Achieves 1 hour resistance.
Fixings
Floor beams should not be drilled, shotfired to, or contain any other fixing.
Soffits
Where Beam & Block is used for upper floors Newco Concrete supply batten hangers to support a batten grid for fixing plasterboard ceilings.
Camber
Newco Concrete beams will have an inherent camber, which will be negligible on spans up to 4m on 150mm deep & 6m on 225mm deep.
