What is a floor panel?
A floor panel is a sheet-like building element used to make or build up a floor. The Dutch term vloerplaat is broad: it can mean a load-bearing concrete element, an insulation board or a sheet used as a subfloor. Which meaning is intended usually follows from the context.
Meanings
- Precast concrete unit: a prefabricated element for a system floor, such as a hollow-core slab or a lattice girder slab. The units are placed by crane and together form the structural floor.
- EPS floor panel: a panel of expanded polystyrene that serves as permanent (lost) formwork on the underside of a concrete ground floor. After pouring it stays in place as insulation.
- Mineral wool floor board: a compression-resistant board of stone wool under a floating screed. It insulates and reduces impact sound, such as footsteps to the neighbours or the floor below.
- Wood-based board: a sheet of OSB, plywood or chipboard, for example, laid as a subfloor over timber joists.
- Cement-bonded board: a wood particle board bonded with cement, used where extra fire resistance or moisture resistance is needed.
- Hearth plate: a plate of glass, steel or stone under a stove or open fire to protect the floor.
Use and tips
- Subfloor on joists: lay sheet material with the long side at right angles to the joists and always let the end joints fall on a joist. Stagger the joints so there are no continuous cross joints.
- Quality class: choose a board suitable for structural use in floors, for example OSB/3 where there is a risk of moisture.
- Floating floor: keep the insulation board and screed separate from the walls with an edge strip, otherwise sound still travels through the wall.
- Joints and grooves: tongue-and-groove boards give a stiffer floor that creaks less. Glue the joint as the manufacturer prescribes.
- Load-bearing capacity: for precast concrete units, the structural engineer determines type, thickness and span. Never cut openings in them yourself without consultation.
Related terms
- System floor
- Hollow-core slab floor
- Lattice girder floor
- Permanent formwork
- OSB board
- Screed
- Sound insulation
- Slab floor
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