GB2254088A - Floating floor - Google Patents

Abstract

The acoustic insulation of a floating floor is enhanced by supporting underfloor insulation panels 14 (e.g. of gypsum) from metal supports 12 mounted on the joists 22. The supports have a horizontal support flange 40, a vertical flange 30 secured as by nails 58 to the side of the joists and a top flange 26 engaging the joists' upper surface. Holes in the side of the support increase its resistance. Foam rubber 16 overlies the top of the joists and spaces the edges of panels 14 from the joists. <IMAGE>

Description

FLOOR This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to a floor assembly and to a method of constructing a floor assembly. Especially the present invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to floating floor assemblies and their methods of construction.

Floating floor assemblies are well known and usually incorporate a layer or a strip of resilient material, e.g. foam rubber, between the floorboards and the joists supporting the floorboards. Such floors which are well known as "platform" floors or "ribbed" floors, are somewhat thicker than conventional floor assemblies and, while this is not a drawback with new construction, it can be troublesome when upgrading existing floors because of the added requirement that doors and skirting boards, etc. be altered to accommodate the new floor thickness.

An assembly comprising floor supports arranged overlying resilient strips provided atop of successive joists is proposed in United Kingdom Specification No. 2211522A for overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art; however, the proposed assembly is not universally applicable and requires means for facilitating the adaptation of floor supports to suit joists of various widths. In addition, difficulties are met in the construction of the proposed assembly insofar that the floor supports are merely located overlying their respective joists without being secured thereto. Consequently, when constructing the proposed floor assembly difficulties are met in securing floor boards and underfloor panels to complete the assembly without displacing the floor supports associated therewith.

The floor assembly and its method of construction as provided by the present invention seeks to overcome or mitigate the disadvantages met heretofore; thus, the present invention conveniently provides a floor assembly comprising : i) a series of floor joists for supporting conventional floor boards; ii) supports mounted on said joists for supporting edge portions of underfloor panels positioned, in use, between adjacent joists and beneath said floor boards; wherein said supports each comprise a) a lip portion adapted for location, when in use, along a longitudinal edge portion of an associated joist on one side thereof; b) a side face portion adapted to be secured, in use, against a longitudinal side face of an associated joist on one side thereof; and, c) a wing portion adapted to support, in use, associated edge portions of underfloor panels positioned between adjacent joists and beneath said floor boards as aforesaid.

Preferably the lip portion of the support comprises a serrated edge which, in use, extends downwardly to impinge upon and be driven into the longitudinal edge portion of an associated joist to assist the securement of said support in situ.

In a further convenient assembly provided by the invention, the wing portion of each support is sprung to form a resilient mounting for an associated underfloor panel an edge portion of which, in use, is supported thereby and wherein the wing portion of each support may be conveniently connected to an associated side face portion by a trough portion extending from a lower edge of said associated side portion.

Preferably the supports are each secured to an associated joist by fasteners associated with side face portions of said supports, the fasteners passing, in use, through said side face portions into the longitudinal side faces of associated joists.

In a further preferred assembly, strips of resilient material are each located, in use, between an associated joist and the floor boards supported thereby, which strips of resilient material may conveniently be of foam rubber.

Preferably the floor boards of the novel assembly may be secured to the underfloor panels by screw fasteners which, in use, may be secured to associated wing portions of each support to form a rigid assembly of floor boards, underfloor panels and supports.

The present invention also conveniently provides a method of constructing a floor assembly comprising the steps of a) providing supports along and overhanging longitudinal edge portions of associated joists: b) securing side faces of each support to longitudinal side faces of associated joists; c) locating underfloor panels, as hereinbefore defined, between adjacent pairs of joists with longitudinal marginal edge portions of the underfloor panels being supported by the supports provided on said adjacent pairs of joists: dJ arranging strips of resilient material to lie along each joist to cover lip portions of said supports which lip portions extend laterally over longitudinal edge portions of each of said joists and with each of said strips extending laterally of its respective joist to fill the space between opposed ends of the marginal edge portions of said underfloor panels located between successive pairs of joists as aforesaid; e) positioning floor boards overlying said joists and underfloor panels in conventional manner; and, f) securing said floor boards to associated underfloor panels and supports to form the said assembly.

By way of example of the present invention, a specific floor assembly and its method of construction will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a part cross-section of the floor assembly; Figure 2 is a view on a larger scale of part of Figure 1; and, Figure 3 is an upper right hand perspective view of one component of the assembly.

Unlike prior art assemblies, the present invention enables the quick and easy construction of floating floor assemblies despite the width of floor joists used therewith. In addition, because there are no loose components utilised in the assembly, its construction can be undertaken without the risk of displacing any parts thereof.

The novel floor assembly 8 generally comprises a series of joists 10, only one of which is shown in Figure 1, underfloor panel supports 12 located atop said joists on each side thereof, underfloor panels 14 supported by said supports 12 between adjacent pairs of said joists 10; resilient sealing strips 16 located atop said joists 10 and said supports 12 with floorboards 18 being secured in situ overlying said joists 10, underfloor panels 14 and said strips 16 to complete the assembly 8 as shown in Figure 1.

The joists 10 are conventional timber joists each comprising an upper longitudinal surface 20 and opposite longitudinal side faces 22 and 24.

The underfloor panel supports 12, see Figures 1 to 3, are formed as steel rolled sections. Each support 12 comprises a lip portion 26 which is provided with a downturned outer flange 28 which may be serrated along its lower edge 29 for a purpose to be made clear hereinafter.

Depending from a right-hand end of the lip portion 26 thereof each support 12 comprises a side face portion 30 with a "V" shaped trough portion 32 being formed at a lower end 34 of said portion 30, see Figures 1 to 3.

The trough portion 32 of each support 12 comprises leftand right-hand limbs 36 and 38 respectively, see Figures 2 and 3, with the left hand limb 36 depending from said lower end 34 and with the right hand limb 38 terminating in an horizontal wing portion 40 formed at its upper end thereof.

The limbs 36, see Figure 3, are each provided with a series of slots 42 at regular intervals along their length, which slots 42 enhance the resiliency of the supports and reduce their noise transference levels leading to improved floor assemblies in use.

The side face portions 30 of each support are each provided with a series of apertures 44 at spaced intervals for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

In constructing the floor assembly provided by the present invention, the following process steps are undertaken:a) a series of conventional joists 10 are set in a spaced apart relationship; b) two supports 12 are attached one each on opposite longi tudinal edge portions of the joists 10 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 by fasteners 58; however, where the lip portions 26 of the supports 12 are provided with serrated lower edge portions 29, they are first attached to upper surfaces 20 of the joists 10 using a plastic mallet or the like; c) strips 16 of resilient sealing material, i.e. 6 mm thick adhesive coated foam rubber, are positioned atop the joists 10 to be pressed against the surface 20 thereof whereupon the adhesive coating adheres thereto and to lip portions 26 of the supports 12 also overlaid thereby; d) underfloor panels 14 of 19 mm thick gypsum board are located between adjacent joists 10 with marginal edge portions 46 thereof in engagement with and supported by the wing portions 40 of associated supports 12 as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the arrangement being such that ends 16a and 16b of the associated strips 16 are engaged by end faces 48 of the panels 14 as shown in Figure 2 to space the ends faces 48 from an associated joist 10 whereby the transmission of noise is greatly reduced; e) floorboards 18, i.e. 18 mm thick tongue and grooved chipboard flooring, is positioned as shown in Figures 1 and 2 overlying the underfloor panels 14 and strips 16; and, f) securing said boards 18 to the underfloor panels 14 by means not shown to form the floating floor assembly of the present invention.

The means for securing boards 18 to the underfloor panels 14 may comprise :a) adhesive applied between the boards 18 and the under floor panels 14; and/or, b) drywall screws or the like inserted from above or below to secure the boards 18 and panels together; and/or, c) drywall screws or the like inserted from above or below to secure the boards 18 and panels 14 to associated wing portions 40 of associated supports 12.

From the foregoing, it will readily be appreciated that difficulties met hitherto in the construction of floating floors or the like are greatly reduced if not totally eradicated in that: i) the floor thickness is maintained at a desirable minimum; ii) there is no danger of displacing components of the assembly during construction of the floating floor; iii) noise transmission is kept to an acceptable level; and, iv) the universal characteristics of the support 12 facilitate their use with joists of any width.

Although not forming any part of the present invention, where the floating floor assembly is intended for use as the first or an upper floor of a multi-storey building the ceiling of a room below may be provided with panels 50, 52, a resilient bar 54, and insulation 56 as indicated in Figure 1.

Other modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims (13)

1. A floor assembly comprising i) a series of floor joists for supporting conven tional floor boards; ii) supports mounted on said joists for supporting edge portions of underfloor panels positioned, in use, between adjacent joists and beneath said floor boards; wherein said supports each comprise : a) a lip portion adapted for location, when in use, along a longitudinal edge portion of an associated joist on one side thereof; b) a side face portion adapted to be secured, in use, against a longitudinal side face of an associated joist on one side thereof; and, c) a wing portion adapted to support, in use, associ ated edge portions of underfloor panels positioned between adjacent joists and beneath said floor boards as aforesaid.

2. A floor assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the lip portion of the support comprises a serrated edge which, in use, extends downwardly to impinge upon and be driven into the longitudinal edge portion of an associated joist to assist the securement of said support in situ.

3. A floor assembly according to either one of Claims 1 and 2 wherein the wing portion of each support is sprung to form a resilient mounting for an associated underfloor panel an edge portion of which, in use, is supported thereby.

4. A floor assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the wing portion of each support is connected to an associated side face portion by a trough portion extending from a lower edge of said associated side portion.

5. A floor assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the supports are each secured to an associated joist by fasteners associated with side face portions of said supports, the fasteners passing, in use, through said side face portions into the longi tudinal side faces of associated joists.

6. A floor assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims comprising strips of resilient material each located, in use, between an associated joist and the floor boards supported thereby.

7. A floor assembly according to Claim 6 wherein the strips of resilient material are of foam rubber.

8. A floor assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the floor boards are secured to the underfloor panels by screw fasteners which, in use, are secured to associated wing portions of each support to form a rigid assembly of floor boards, underfloor panels and supports.

9. A method of constructing a floor assembly comprising the steps of a) providing supports along and overhanging longi tudinal edge portions of associated joists: b) securing side faces of each support to longi tudinal side faces of associated joists; c) locating underfloor panels, as hereinbefore defined, between adjacent pairs of joists with longitudinal marginal edge portions of the under floor panels being supported by the supports provided on said adjacent pairs of joists: d) arranging strips of resilient material to lie along each joist to cover lip portions of said supports which lip portions extend laterally over longitudinal edge portions of each of said joists and with each of said strips extending laterally of its respective joist to fill the space between opposed ends of the marginal edge portions of said underfloor panels located between successive parts of joists as aforesaid; e) positioning floor boards overlying said joists and underfloor panels in conventional manner; and, f) securing said floor boards to associated under floor panels and supports to form the said assembly.

10. A method according to Claim 9 wherein the supports each comprise longitudinal wing portions for support ing the marginal edge portions of associated under floor panels.

11. A method according to Claim 10 wherein the wing portion of each support is resiliently sprung.

12. A floor assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A method of constructing a floor assembly substan tially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.