TABLE OF CONTENTS The ground floor of a building is either solid concrete or a suspended timber type. With a concrete floor, a Damp Proof Membrane (DPM) is laid between walls. With timber floors, sleeper walls of honeycomb brickwork are built on oversite concrete between the base brickwork; a timber sleeper plate rests on each wall and timber joists are supported on them. Their ends may be similarly supported, let into the brickwork or suspended on metal hangers. Floorboards are laid at right angles to joists. First-floor joists are supported by the masonry or hangers.
Similar to a brick built house, the floors in a timber-framed house are either solid concrete or suspended timber. In some cases, a concrete floor may be screeded or surfaced with timber or chipboard flooring. Suspended timber floor joists are supported on wall plates and surfaced with chipboard.
The building shall be constructed so that the combined dead, imposed and wind loads are sustained and transmitted by it to the ground
safely;
without causing such deflection or deformation of any part of the building (or such movement of the ground) as will impair the stability of any part of another building.
(Approved Document A1)
The building shall be constructed so that ground movement caused by:
swelling, shrinkage or freezing of the subsoil; or
landslip or subsidence (other than subsidence arising from shrinkage) will not impair the stability of any part of the building.
(Approved Document A2)
As a fire precaution, the spread...
