19
Jun

Concrete Flooring Classifications

concrete flooring classification guide for industrial and commercial flooring

Table of Concrete Flooring Classifications

This list of floor uses and service conditions will help to determine the “class” of concrete floor needed.

CLASS
ANTICIPATED TYPE OF TRAFFIC
USE
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
FINAL FINISH
SINGLE COURSE

 

 

1

 

 

Exposed surface — foot traffic

 

 

Offices, churches, commercial, institutional, multi-unit residential

Decorative

 

 

 

Uniform finish, non-slip aggregate in specific areas, curing

Colored mineral aggregate, color pigment or exposed aggregate, stamped or inlaid patterns, artistic joint layout, curing

Normal steel-troweled finish, non-slip finish where required

As required

2 Covered surface — foot traffic Offices, churches, commercial, multi-unit residential, institutional with floor coveringDecorative Flat and level slabs suitable for applied coverings, curing. Coordinate joints with applied coverings Light steel-troweled finish
4 Exposed or covered surface — foot and light vehicular traffic Institutional and commercial Level and flat slab suitable for applied coverings, non-slip aggregate for specific areas, curing. Coordinate joints with applied coverings Normal steel-troweled finish
5 Exposed surface — industrial vehicular traffic, that is, pneumatic wheels and moderately soft solid wheels Industrial floors for manufacturing, processing and warehousing Good uniform subgrade, joint layout, abrasion resistance, curing Hard steel-troweled finish
6 Exposed surface — heavy duty industrial vehicular traffic, that is, hard wheels and heavy wheel loads Industrial floors subject to heavy traffic; may be subject to impact loads Good uniform subgrade, joint layout, load transfer, abrasion resistance, curing Special metallic or mineral aggregate surface hardener; repeated hard steel-troweling
TWO COURSE 3 Exposed or covered surface — foot traffic Unbonded or bonded topping over base slab for commercial or non-industrial buildings where construction type
or schedule dictates
Base Slab — good uniform level surface tolerance, curing

Unbonded topping — bondbreaker on base slab, minimum thickness 3 in. (76 mm), reinforced, curing

Bonded topping — properly sized aggregate, 3/4 in. (19 mm) minimum thickness curing

Base slab — troweled finish under unbonded topping; clean, textured surface under bonded topping
for exposed surface, normal steel-troweled finish. For covered surface, light steel-troweled finish
7 Exposed surface — heavy duty industrial vehicular traffic, that is, hard wheels and heavy wheel loads Bonded two-course floors subject to heavy traffic and impact Base Slab — good uniform subgrade, reinforcement, joint layout, level surface, curing

Topping — composed of well graded all-mineral or all-metallic aggregate. Minimum thickness 3/4 in. (19 mm). Mineral or metallic aggregate surface hardener applied to high strength plain topping to toughen, curing

Clean, textured base slab surface suitable for subsequent bonded topping. Special power floats for topping are optional, hard steel-troweled finish
8 Same as in Class 4, 5, 6 Unbonded toppings — on new or existing floors or where construction sequence or schedule dictates Bond breaker on base slab, minimum thickness 4 in. (102 mm) abrasion resistance, curing Same as in Class 4, 5, 6
SINGLE COURSE OR TOPPING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exposed surface — superflat or critical surface tolerance required. Special materials-handling vehicles or robotics requiring specific tolerances Narrow-aisle, high-bay warehouses; television studios, ice rinks, or gymnasiums.

 

 

 

Varying concrete quality requirements, curing Special application procedures and attention to detail are
recommended when shake-on hardeners are used.
Strictly follow finishing techniques

Class 8 floors are special cases for service conditions that fall underclasses 4, 5 and 6.

Note: Much investigation should go into the service conditions intended. No type of facility always falls into a single class of floor. Classes may vary depending on the service conditions particular to a given operation. Floor class may vary even in the same facility, as service conditions vary from one
part of a facility to the next.