Flooring
104 sources in the library on flooring, 33 on this page cited in a published note. Each one says what the document covers and what it is good for. Name a source to see which document it is and where to read it. One at a time. Page 1 of 3.
- very strong RN-2IWEP7 cited
Health and Safety Executive
HSE's guidance note behind every slip-resistance figure a flooring or paving note quotes, and the source that separates the two tests people conflate. Table 1 classifies slip potential from pendulum test values (PTV): 0 to 24 high, 25 to 35 moderate, 36 and above low. Table 2 gives the parallel Rz microroughness classification. It describes the HSL/UKSRG ramp CoF test, then deals with the German ramp tests separately: DIN 51097 uses barefoot operators with a soap solution and DIN 51130 uses heavily cleated EN ISO 20345 safety boots with motor oil, and HSE states it has reservations about both because neither uses contaminants representative of real workplaces and the way results are reported is a cause for concern. Table 3 sets the DIN 51130 R scale by slip angle: R9 6 to 10 degrees, R10 10 to 19, R11 19 to 27, R12 27 to 35, R13 above 35. It warns that R9 and sometimes R10 surfaces will be slippery when wet and that a single class covers a wide CoF range, R10 alone spanning 0.18 to 0.34, so an R number is not a substitute for a PTV. Note that BS 7976-2, the pendulum method, was withdrawn in February 2022, which makes this HSE page the right citation for the thresholds.
Cited in Bathroom Tiles: Types, Cost & Layout, Best Flooring for Kitchens, Bathrooms & Living Rooms, Patio Cost & Materials: Paving, Porcelain & Stone, Resin Floor Cost: 2026 UK Price Guide and 1 more.
- very strong RN-3UYBGN cited
Health and Safety Executive
The regulator's position on choosing a floor surface that will not become a slip hazard, page dated 23 June 2025. It cites regulation 12 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, which requires floors to be suitable, in good condition and free from obstructions so people can move around safely, and states that where a floor is likely to be subject to frequent contamination people should still be able to walk on it without risk of slipping. It points to HSE guidance on assessing the slip resistance of flooring and the relevant British and European standards, to CIRIA C652 Safer surfaces to walk on, and to INDG225 Preventing slips and trips at work.
Cited in Resin Floor Cost: 2026 UK Price Guide.
- very strong RN-NPO8FJ cited
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
The statutory figures behind a damp diagnosis, and the numbers to quote when a note explains why ground levels or a bridged damp proof course cause rising damp. Paragraph 5.2 requires that in an external wall the damp-proof course should be at least 150mm above the level of the adjoining ground (Diagram 8) unless part of the building protects the wall, and that in an external cavity wall the cavity should be taken down at least 225mm below the level of the lowest damp-proof course, or a damp-proof tray provided (Diagram 9a). For suspended timber ground floors it requires a ventilated air space of at least 75mm from the ground covering to the underside of any wall-plates and at least 150mm to the underside of the suspended timber floor or insulation, with ventilation openings on two opposing external walls of not less than 1,500mm2 per metre run of external wall or 500mm2 per square metre of floor area, whichever is greater; for suspended concrete floors the clear ventilated space is at least 150mm with the same opening sizes. Section 2.39 onwards covers radon, referring to BRE Report BR 211 for protective measures. The 2013 edition was published on 3 September 2013 with changes in effect from 1 October 2013.
Cited in Barge Boards, Fascias & Soffits: Cost & Replacement, Breathable Membranes for Roofs & Walls, Brick Slips & Brick Cladding Systems, Build Basement Cost: 2026 UK Price Guide and 35 more.
- very strong RN-35VE7W cited
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Table 0.1a sets separating element performance for dwellings: purpose built walls a minimum 45 dB DnT,w + Ctr, floors and stairs 45 dB airborne and a maximum 62 dB L'nT,w impact; where a dwelling is formed by material change of use the figures relax to 43 dB airborne and 64 dB impact. Table 0.2 sets the laboratory value for new internal walls and floors within a dwelling at a minimum 40 dB Rw. Requirement E2 covers internal walls between a bedroom or a room containing a WC and other rooms, and internal floors, but expressly does not apply to an internal wall containing a door, a wall separating an en suite toilet from its own bedroom, or existing walls and floors in a material change of use. Section 5 gives internal wall types A to D and internal floor types A to C, including timber or metal stud with plasterboard and mineral wool; paragraph 5.14 requires all gaps around internal walls to be filled.
Cited in Acoustic Insulation for Floors & Walls, Acoustic Underlay & Soundproof Flooring, Ceiling Lights: Downlights vs Pendants vs Spots, Concrete Blocks: Aircrete vs Dense vs Hollow and 11 more.
- very strong RN-MJJMDX cited
The National Archives (legislation.gov.uk)
Section 10 makes it an offence, without the consent of the Treasury, to melt down or break up any metal coin that is current in the UK or that has ceased to be current on or after 16 May 1969. Penalty on summary conviction a fine not exceeding £400; on indictment a fine or up to two years' imprisonment or both; breach of a licence condition a fine up to level 5 on the standard scale. The court may order forfeiture of the coins, and officers of a body corporate can be personally liable where the offence involved their consent or neglect. The section says nothing about defacing, marking or affixing coins, so laying intact coins as a decorative floor is outside it.
Cited in Penny Floor Cost: 2026 UK Price Guide.
- very strong RN-T1VMGA cited
The National Archives (legislation.gov.uk)
Contents of the Currency and Bank Notes Act 1928: securities for note issue, transfer of currency note operations to the Bank of England, payment of profits to the Treasury, provisions for Scottish and Northern Ireland banks, and section 12, penalty for defacing bank notes. The Act deals with bank notes throughout and contains no provision about defacing or altering coins, so it is the wrong authority for any claim about what may be done with UK coinage.
Cited in Penny Floor Cost: 2026 UK Price Guide.
- very strong RN-XHATOQ cited
The National Archives (legislation.gov.uk), Scottish Statutory Instruments
SCOTLAND, latest revised version with no outstanding effects, and several of these contradict England. Type 20 makes a door, window or rooflight warrant-exempt EVEN WHERE THE FRAME IS REPLACED, so a Scottish window replacement needs no building warrant and no FENSA or Certass notification, unlike England where replacing a window is notifiable building work; it must still meet the regulations, including the 1.4 W/m2K or WER Band B standard. Type 19 exempts open raised external decking unless it is at a height of more than 1.2 metres. Type 21 exempts a paved area or hardstanding unless it exceeds 200 SQUARE METRES or forms part of a required access, a far more generous threshold than England's 5 square metre front garden rule. Type 22 exempts extra-low voltage electrical installations not exceeding 50 volts AC or 120 volts DC. Type 24 exempts like-for-like replacement of fittings including sanitary facilities, rainwater gutters and downpipes, solid fuel appliances, electrical fixtures, ventilation fans and kitchen fitments, but expressly NOT doors, windows or rooflights, nor oil or gas fired boilers. Type 25 exempts like-for-like replacement of flooring, lining, cladding, covering or rendering internally or externally. All are conditional on the work meeting the relevant requirements of the regulations.
Cited in Replacing Misted Double Glazing Units Cost: 2026 UK Price Guide.
- strong RN-UTBMKQ cited
BSI
The current edition of the UK waterproofing code, published 31 March 2022, superseding BS 8102:2009. It gives recommendations and guidance on dealing with and preventing the entry of water from external sources into structures partly or wholly below ground, and it recognises three types of protection which a specification must name: Type A waterproofing barrier materials applied to the structure, Type B structurally integral watertight construction, and Type C drained cavity construction. It requires the waterproofing strategy to be set at the earliest planning and design stage, covering structural design, overall weatherproofing design, waterproofing design, construction sequencing and buildability, and it treats external drainage and openings as part of the strategy rather than as details. It also sets out evaluation of groundwater conditions, consideration of harmful ground gases, and the risk assessment that drives the choice of grade. Descriptors include basements, tanking, vapour barriers, render, ground-water drainage and site investigations. This is the standard to cite for a basement shower room or a below-ground floor build-up.
Cited in Basement & Cellar Conversions: Cost, Basement Conversion Cost & Feasibility (UK), Cellar Tanking & Waterproofing, Damp Proofing: Methods, Costs & When You Need It and 2 more.
- strong RN-9M7SBG cited
BSI
BS 8203:2017, published 31 March 2017 and current. It gives recommendations for the installation of resilient floor coverings, specifically cork, linoleum, plastic (vinyl) and rubber, on both new and existing structures in conventional flooring applications. It includes design-stage considerations that support proper maintenance and long-term performance but excludes cleaning and maintenance guidance itself, and does not cover access flooring or specialised applications such as static-control flooring. This is the reference standard a note should cite for subfloor condition, acclimatisation and adhesive practice for vinyl and LVT.
Cited in Floor Levelling & Subfloor Prep.
- strong RN-ZPFZGO cited
BSI
BS 8204-1:2003+A1:2009, published 22 December 2003 with Amendment 1 in 2009, committee CB/300, current. Clause 1 gives recommendations for constituent materials, design, work on site, inspection and testing of concrete bases and cementitious levelling screeds that are to receive in situ wearing screeds. It is Part 1 of a series: Part 2 concrete wearing surfaces, Part 3 polymer modified cement, Part 4 terrazzo, Part 5 mastic asphalt, Part 6 synthetic resin, Part 7 pumpable self-smoothing screeds. This is the standard behind screed thickness, mix, curing and soundness-test claims for a sand and cement screed, including its recommendations on inspection and testing.
Cited in Floor Screed Types: Sand-Cement vs Liquid Anhydrite.
- strong RN-ETP4JO cited
BSI
BS 8204-7:2003, published 12 March 2003, committee CB/300, current. Clause 1 gives recommendations for materials, design, work on site, inspection and testing of pumpable self-smoothing screeds, commonly called self-levelling screeds. It notes there are two principal types, one predominantly based on cementitious binders and the other predominantly on calcium sulfate (anhydrite) binders, and it covers both pumpable levelling screeds and pumpable wearing screeds in buildings. As a levelling screed it is intended to receive floor coverings such as textiles, linoleum, PVC, rubber and cork, or rigid floorings. This is the correct citation for a liquid or anhydrite screed note, including the distinction between cementitious and calcium sulfate binders that governs which adhesives and coverings can be used.
Cited in Structural Materials: The Complete Guide.
- strong RN-TL1I4R cited
BSI
BS EN 12004-1:2017, published 28 February 2017, committee B/539, prepared by CEN/TC 67 Ceramic tiles, current; it supersedes BS EN 12004:2007+A1:2012. The scope covers three types of ceramic tile adhesive: cementitious for internal and external installations, and dispersion and reaction resin for internal installations only, on walls and floors. It gives the terminology for the products, working methods and application properties, specifies the performance requirements and the appurtenant test methods, the assessment and verification of constancy of performance, and the classification, designation and marking of tile adhesives, which is where the C, D and R type letters and class numbers on a bag of adhesive come from. It expressly does not provide criteria or recommendations for the design and installation of ceramic tiles, which is BS 5385. It notes tile adhesives may also be used for natural and agglomerated stones if they do not adversely affect the material. BS EN 12004-2:2017 gives the test methods.
Cited in Bathroom Tiles: Types, Cost & Layout, Grab Adhesive & Construction Adhesives, How to Tile a Wall or Floor, Wet Room Tanking & Waterproofing.
- strong RN-9A1H9G cited
BSI
The standard that produces the Euroclass letter, and the one regulation 7(2) of the Building Regulations names by title and ISBN when it requires external wall materials on a relevant building to be Class A2-s1, d0 or A1. Published 31 Jan 2019 and Current. Part 1 provides the reaction to fire classification procedure for all construction products, including products incorporated within building elements, with the sole exception of power, control and communication cables which are classified under EN 13501-6. Products are considered in relation to their end-use application, which is why an insulation board or cladding panel cannot carry a meaningful Euroclass in the abstract: the classification attaches to the product as used in a stated build-up. This is the reference for reading the suffixes as well as the letter, s for smoke production and d for flaming droplets.
Cited in Cladding and Render: The Complete UK Guide (2026), PIR vs Mineral Wool Insulation Compared.
- strong RN-LLZVVY cited
BSI
BS EN 13813:2002, published 11 November 2002, committee CB/300, under review, identical to EN 13813:2002. It is the product standard for screed material used in floor construction, giving the properties and requirements a screed material must declare, and it is the standard a screed specification designates a product against. BSI publishes no scope preview for this page, so the designation letters and strength classes themselves must be read from the standard or from BS 8204-1 and BS 8204-7, which are the companion codes of practice for laying cementitious and pumpable self-smoothing screeds. Cite this one for the point that screed is a specified product with declared properties rather than a generic site mix.
Cited in Floor Screed Types: Sand-Cement vs Liquid Anhydrite.
- strong RN-3LY0EO cited
BSI
The standard that supplies the imposed floor loading a home gym, a loft store or a mezzanine has to be checked against, and the material densities used to work out the dead load of a new floor build-up. Published 29 July 2002, current and under review, BS EN 1991-1-1 classifies actions, distinguishing self-weight from imposed loads, defines design situations, then gives densities of construction and stored materials, self-weight of construction works and imposed loads for buildings by category of use. A note that says a floor may not take a rack of weights or a large aquarium should point here, together with the UK National Annex, rather than to a rule of thumb.
Cited in Building a Home Gym: Cost & Setup (Garage or Spare Room), Skylights vs Roof Lanterns vs Roof Windows.
- strong RN-G4ZRB1 cited
BSI
BS EN 300:2006, published 31 August 2006, committee B/541, current; it supersedes BS EN 300:1997. Clause 1 states it applies to oriented strand boards, defines the terms, establishes a classification and specifies the requirements, with clause 4 being the classification of boards and clause 5 the general requirements for all OSB types. It states plainly that the values it lists relate to product properties and are not characteristic values to be used in design calculations: test methods for mechanical properties for structural purposes are in EN 789, determination of characteristic values and density for structural purposes in EN 1058, and design characteristic values for OSB in EN 12369-1, with supplementary properties in Annex C. This is the standard that a board marked OSB3 is classified against, so cite it whenever a note specifies OSB for a floor deck.
- strong RN-DNW09X cited
BSI
BS EN 312:2010, published 30 November 2010, committee B/541, under review; it supersedes BS EN 312:2003 and the earlier seven-part series BS EN 312-1 to -7, whose part titles are still visible in the BSI catalogue and name the board categories directly: general purpose boards for use in dry conditions, boards for interior fitments including furniture for use in dry conditions, load-bearing boards for use in dry conditions, load-bearing boards for use in humid conditions, and heavy-duty load-bearing boards for dry and for humid conditions. Clause 1 of the 2010 edition specifies the requirements for flat-pressed or calendar-pressed unfaced particleboards as defined in EN 309, and it is called up in EN 13986 for construction applications where these are referred to as resin-bonded particleboards. It warns the values it lists are product properties and are not characteristic values for design calculations, which come from EN 12369-1 or from testing to EN 789, EN 1058 and ENV 1156. This is the standard behind a chipboard flooring panel grade.
- strong RN-2F1BXP cited
BSI (British Standards Institution)
The current British code of practice for laying a tiled floor, published 31 May 2024. It is the third of what is now a four-part BS 5385 series: Parts 1 and 2 cover internal and external wall tiling, Part 4 covers tiling in special conditions such as wet areas and swimming pools, and Part 3 now covers all rigid flooring. The 2024 revision consolidates and replaces both BS 5385-3:2014 on ceramic and mosaic floor tiling and BS 5385-5:2009 on terrazzo, natural stone and agglomerated stone flooring, so a specification that still cites BS 5385-5 is out of date. Its scope is recommendations for the design, installation and maintenance of floor tiling using ceramic tiles, mosaics, terrazzo tile and slab, natural stone internal and external floorings, and engineered stone for internal flooring. BSI states the revision was driven by ceramic floor tiles becoming thicker and larger, which has made the installation methods for ceramic and stone converge. Covers bedding onto concrete, cement and sand and calcium sulfate screeds, heated screeds, timber and existing hard finishes, plus movement joints and tolerances.
Cited in Floor Levelling & Subfloor Prep.
- good RN-YL820L cited
The Tile Association (TTA)
The tiling trade's own list of the standards a specification should name, and the fastest way to check whether a quotation cites the right one. Design and installation: BS 5385-1 internal wall tiling in normal conditions, BS 5385-2 external wall tiling, BS 5385-3 internal and external ceramic and mosaic, natural stone and terrazzo flooring and internal agglomerated stone flooring, BS 5385-4 tiling in special conditions. Waterproofing and grout: BS EN 14891 liquid-applied water impermeable products for use beneath ceramic tiling bonded with adhesives, which is the wet room tanking standard, and BS EN 13888 grout for tiles. Slip resistance: BS 7932 determination of the unpolished and polished pendulum test value of surfacing units. Base preparation: BS 8000-9 cementitious levelling screeds and wearing screeds, BS 8000-8 plasterboard partitions and dry linings, BS 8000-16 sealing joints using sealants. Tile specification: BS EN 14411 ceramic tiles definitions and classification, and the BS EN ISO 10545 series parts 1 to 16 of test methods. Natural stone and terrazzo: BS EN 12057 modular tiles, BS EN 13748-1 and -2 terrazzo tiles for internal and external use, BS EN 14157 determination of abrasion resistance. Accessibility: BS 8300.
- supplier figure RN-S1CBP9 cited
Builder Depot
the retail price Builder Depot publishes for Vinyl Flooring, Vinyl Floor Tiles, LVT Flooring, which is the supply figure the cost book records for this item
Cited in Amtico & LVT Flooring: Cost & How to Choose, Bamboo Flooring: Cost, Pros & Cons, Flooring Options Compared: Engineered Wood, LVT & Laminate, Herringbone & Parquet Flooring: Cost & Patterns and 3 more.
- supplier figure RN-E1Z1X4 cited
CountryLife Flooring
CountryLife Flooring publishing its own price guidance for this work. A trade supplier writing about what it charges is evidence of the market rate and not a quotation, and the cost book treats it as one figure among several rather than on its own
Cited in Amtico & LVT Flooring: Cost & How to Choose, Best Flooring for Kitchens, Bathrooms & Living Rooms, Cork Flooring Installation Cost: 2026 UK Price Guide, Flooring Options Compared: Engineered Wood, LVT & Laminate and 6 more.
- supplier figure RN-Z0VXBA cited
Flooring Superstore
A Flooring Superstore product page for engineered oak herringbone, the Ashbury range in a brushed and lacquered frosted oak. Held as a supplier's own published price for engineered herringbone board, which is what the note uses it for: the supply-only rate per square metre before fitting. A retail price from one merchant, so real but not independent.
- supplier figure RN-HMVVBX cited
Flooring Superstore
the retail price Flooring Superstore publishes for Imperia Oxford Oak Vinyl Flooring, which is the supply figure the cost book records for this item
Cited in How to Lay Vinyl & LVT Flooring, Vinyl Flooring: Sheet vs Tile vs LVT.
- supplier figure RN-2WQ2CQ cited
Flooring Superstore
the retail price Flooring Superstore publishes for Super 8mm Carpet Underlay, which is the supply figure the cost book records for this item
Cited in Flooring Options Compared: Engineered Wood, LVT & Laminate.
- supplier figure RN-PPB6IT cited
Screwfix
the retail price Screwfix publishes for jg underfloor jgstat4bl wired programmable thermostat black 240v, which is the supply figure the cost book records for this item
- supplier figure RN-B1U3CT cited
Screwfix
the retail price Screwfix publishes for Underfloor Heating Mats, which is the supply figure the cost book records for this item
- supplier figure RN-M6IV87 cited
Selco Builders Warehouse
the retail price Selco Builders Warehouse publishes for Caesar Matt Ivory Stone Porcelain Floor & Wall Tile 600 x 1200mm, which is the supply figure the cost book records for this item
- supplier figure RN-0UA97H cited
Selco Builders Warehouse
the retail price Selco Builders Warehouse publishes for Egger Grey Avery Oak 7mm Laminate Flooring 2.49m2, which is the supply figure the cost book records for this item
- supplier figure RN-2HFB1W cited
Selco Builders Warehouse
the retail price Selco Builders Warehouse publishes for Fibreboard Flooring Underlay 10.03m2, which is the supply figure the cost book records for this item
Cited in Acoustic Underlay & Soundproof Flooring, Flooring Underlay Explained, Laminate Flooring: Cost, Types & How to Choose.
- supplier figure RN-MBVS6T cited
Selco Builders Warehouse
the retail price Selco Builders Warehouse publishes for Jabfloor 70 Floor Insulation 2400 x 1200 x 100mm, which is the supply figure the cost book records for this item
Cited in Floor Insulation Materials & Build-ups.
- supplier figure RN-7R6UPQ cited
Selco Builders Warehouse
the retail price Selco Builders Warehouse publishes for Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT), which is the supply figure the cost book records for this item
- supplier figure RN-IECY8Q cited
Wickes
the retail price Wickes publishes for FloorSure Gold 10mm Carpet Underlay - 15m2, which is the supply figure the cost book records for this item
Cited in Carpet Types, Grades & Cost, Flooring Underlay Explained, How to Fit Carpet (or Prep for a Fitter), Stretch Carpet Cost: 2026 UK Price Guide.
- supplier figure RN-FBUIE5 cited
Wickes
the retail price Wickes publishes for Wickes Calcutta Marble Matt Laminate Worktop 600 x 38 x 3000mm, which is the supply figure the cost book records for this item
- very strong RN-4ATLE5
Building Control Northern Ireland (the 11 district councils)
NORTHERN IRELAND. The Northern Ireland Building Regulations are made by the Department of Finance and administered by the 11 DISTRICT COUNCILS, so there is no private sector alternative: Northern Ireland has no approved inspectors and no registered building control approvers, and the England route of appointing a private building control body simply does not exist. The page lists the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 with the amending regulations of 2014, 2016 and 2022, and links the current and historical Technical Booklets plus the contraventions and appeals route. The regulations are intended to secure the safety, health, welfare and convenience of people in and around buildings and to further the conservation of fuel and energy. The site names all 11 councils including Belfast City, Derry City and Strabane, Lisburn and Castlereagh, Newry Mourne and Down, Mid Ulster and Fermanagh and Omagh.
- very strong RN-2ZSOFV
Department of Finance (Northern Ireland)
Northern Ireland's floor build-up rules, October 2012, guidance to Part C of the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012. Paragraph 5.4 gives a ground supported floor as: a well compacted hardcore bed not greater than 600 mm deep, because a deeper bed risks excessive settlement and cracking and a suspended slab is then advised, of clean broken brick or similar inert material free of water soluble sulfates (BRE Digest 276); concrete at least 100 mm thick to mix ST2 in BS 8500-1, or ST4 where there is embedded reinforcement; and a DPM above or below the concrete or insulation, continuous with the wall damp proof courses. Where sulfates could contaminate the hardcore the membrane goes at the base of the slab (BRE Special Digest SD 1). Paragraph 5.5 fixes the membrane below the concrete as polyethylene sheet at least 300 micrometres thick, that is 1200 gauge, with sealed joints on a bed that will not damage it; paragraph 5.6 allows the same sheet above the slab without bedding, or three coats of cold applied bitumen solution, protected by a screed or floor finish. A DPM on the warm side of the insulation also acts as a vapour control layer. Radon: no protection below 1 per cent probability, Zone 1 measures (radon membrane) at 1 to 10 per cent, Zone 2 measures (membrane plus subfloor depressurisation such as a sump and stub duct) above 10 per cent.
- very strong RN-O45LHK
Department of Finance (Northern Ireland)
Northern Ireland's insulation numbers, October 2012 guidance to Part F1. Table 2.2 sets limiting U-values in W per square metre kelvin for a new dwelling as an area-weighted average with a maximum at any point: wall 0.30 average and 0.70 maximum, floor 0.25 and 0.70, roof 0.20 and 0.35, party wall 0.20 and 0.70, windows, roof windows, glazed rooflights, curtain walling and pedestrian doors 2.00 and 3.30, with 3.50 for new thermal elements. Table 3.2 sets the U-values for new thermal elements, which is what applies when an existing floor or roof is replaced or newly constructed during a renovation: wall 0.28, pitched roof with insulation at ceiling level 0.16, pitched roof with insulation at rafter level 0.18, flat roof or roof with integral insulation 0.18, floor 0.22, swimming pool basin walls and floor 0.25. Window U-values may be taken as the smaller of the two standard windows in BS EN 14351-1, the standard configuration in BR 443, or the actual unit size and configuration. Consequential improvement duties apply above 1000 square metres total useful floor area, and the 25 per cent of total useful floor area test defines a material change.
- very strong RN-4NEHSE
Department of Finance (Northern Ireland)
The impact sound numbers that decide what a flat's floor build-up has to be before any floorcovering is chosen. Table 1a sets the performance standards for separating floors and stairs with a separating function in Northern Ireland: for new dwellings, airborne insulation of at least 45 dB DnT,w + Ctr for both walls and floors, and impact sound of no more than 62 dB L'nT,w for floors and stairs; for dwellings formed by a material change of use, at least 43 dB DnT,w + Ctr and no more than 64 dB L'nT,w. Table 1b sets separate values for rooms for residential purposes. Paragraph 1.11 contains the trap most refurbishments fall into: impact sound insulation tests must be carried out without a soft floor finish such as carpet or foam backed vinyl, so a floor that only passes with the carpet down does not pass. The definitions section defines a floating floor as a floating layer resting on a resilient layer, defines the resilient layer as the thing that isolates the floating layer from the base floor, and defines Delta Lw as the measured improvement in impact sound insulation gained by installing a floor covering or floating floor on a test floor.
- very strong RN-1H8UHK
UK Health Security Agency (UKradon)
Gives a floor-type and concentration decision table for remediation. For a solid floor under 500 Bq per cubic metre the recommended solutions, best first, are a radon sump or positive ventilation; for a solid floor over 500 the answer is a radon sump. For a suspended floor under 500 it is natural under-floor ventilation or positive ventilation; over 500, mechanical under-floor ventilation or natural under-floor ventilation. Warns explicitly that simple actions such as sealing around loft hatches, sealing large openings in floors and extra ventilation do not reduce radon levels on their own, and that completely sealing floors is difficult and can cause rot in wooden floors. Names an active radon sump fitted with a fan as the most effective method, working best under solid floors and under suspended floors where the ground is covered with concrete or a membrane. Advises contacting UKHSA for levels above 1000 Bq per cubic metre, and the local council Environmental Health Department for advice.
- very strong RN-6PQK9U
UK Health Security Agency (UKradon)
UKHSA recommends that radon levels be reduced in homes where the average exceeds 200 becquerels per cubic metre, the Action Level, and states that this recommendation is endorsed by Government. The Action Level refers to the annual average concentration, so a valid measurement uses two detectors, one in a bedroom and one in a living room, left in place for three months to average out short-term fluctuations. Separately defines a Target Level of 100 Bq per cubic metre as the ideal outcome of remediation in existing buildings and of protective measures in new buildings, and advises that where a result falls between the Target and Action Levels action to reduce the level should still be considered, especially where a smoker or ex-smoker lives in the home. Radon is described as a colourless, odourless radioactive gas formed by decay of naturally occurring uranium in rocks and soils.
- very strong RN-FXA893
Department for Communities and Local Government
The official answers to the questions Part E raises on a flat conversion or a floor upgrade, March 2016, ISBN 978-1-4098-4806-6. It confirms that pre-completion sound testing is required except where robust details have been used, and that organisations carrying out the testing should preferably hold UKAS accreditation or a European equivalent, or be members of the Association of Noise Consultants registration scheme; when testing was introduced in 2003 there were too few such bodies, but there are now over 50 UKAS/ANC test organisations, and clients should be told early that they must employ one. It draws attention to paragraph 1.8 of Approved Document E, which advises that sound insulation testing should not be carried out between certain spaces because results may be unreliable, and notes reduced accuracy when measurements are made in small rooms, while confirming that separating walls and floors subject to requirement E1 must always meet the standard whether or not they will be tested. It also covers noise from neighbours, care homes, houses in multiple occupation and reverberation in common internal parts.