Concrete Flooring Classifications
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.
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