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SECTION-17
FLOOR
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FLOOR
CONTENTS
SECTION-17 Page

17.1 Patent stone floor 187-188

17.1.1 Description 187
17.1.2 Materials 187
Cement 187
Coarse aggregate 187
Fine aggregate 187
Water 187
17.1.3 Construction method 187-188
17.1.4 Measurement 188
17.1.5 Payment 188

17.2 Mosaic floor 189-191

17.2.1 Description 189
17.2.2 Materials 189
Marble chips 189
White cement 189
Grey cement 189
Water 189
Glass strips 189
17.2.3 Construction methods 189-191
17.2.4 Measurement 191
17.2.5 Payment 191

17.3 Non-skid floor tiles 192-193

17.3.1 Description 192
17.3.2 Materials 192
Tiles 192
Mortar 192
Grout 192
Water 192
17.3.3 Construction methods 192-193
17.3.4 Measurement 193
17.3.5 Payment 193
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SECTION-17
FLOOR

17.1 Patent stone floor

17.1.1 Description

Works covered under this item shall consist of constructing steel-trowelled concrete topping of specified
thickness, prepared with stone/picked jhama brick chips, sand and cement in specified proportion in
panels not exceeding 900mm on floor slabs and elsewhere including finishing the top with neat cement in
accordance with these specifications or as contained in the BOQ or as shown on the Drawings and/or as
directed by the Engineer.
17.1.2 Materials

Cement
Cement used in the works shall be ordinary Portland cement complying with the requirements of ASTM
C150 Type 1 or BDS 232 or equivalent standard and those stated under the Section on ‘Construction
Materials’ of this Specification.
Coarse aggregate
Coarse aggregate shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C 330 or BDS 243 and to the
requirements specified in the relevant Section titled ‘Construction Materials' of this Specification.

Coarse aggregate shall be hard, durable, clean, free from dust and other deleterious materials prepared
from stone chips (or picked jhama bricks conforming BDS 208 when specifically allowed) and 10mm
down graded.
Fine aggregate
Fine aggregates shall be non-saline clean natural sand and have a specific gravity not less than 2.6, a
Fineness Modulus obtained by mixing 50% sand of FM 1.2 and 50% of minimum FM 2.5. It shall conform
to the requirements of ASTM C 33 or BDS 243 and those stated under the relevant Sub-section of the
Section on ‘Construction Materials’ of this Specification.

Water
Water shall be clean, free from injurious quantities of oil, alkali, salts and organic materials or other
deleterious substances and shall not contain any visibly solid materials. All requirements shall be similar
to what have been stated under the relevant Sub-section of the Sections on ‘Concrete Work’ and
‘Construction Materials’ of this Specification. The Contractor shall get the water tested by comparing with
water of known satisfactory quality, if requested by the Engineer.
17.1.3 Construction methods

Preparation of concrete mixture shall also be similar to what have been stated under the relevant Sub-
sections of the Section on ‘Concrete Work’ of this Specification. The concrete mixture shall be prepared
with one part cement, two parts sand and four parts stone chips/brick chips.

Before proceeding with the work, a sample panel of artificial Patent Stone Floor shall be prepared with
specifications as required under the item of the work of the BOQ for approval of the Engineer.

The flooring shall be laid preferably no later than 24 hours after the floor slab is installed.

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When the floor is to be laid on an old sub-floor, the base surface shall be thoroughly cleaned of laitance
and all other loose foreign materials by stiff wire brush, roughened, if deemed necessary and washed
and soaked with clean water. All excess water shall be removed ahead of the application of the bonding
slurry so that the concrete surfaces become uniformly damp but not glisten-wet.
Creamy bonding slurry of neat cement shall be applied and well scrubbed on to the surface with stiff
bristle brush. Bonding slurry shall be mixed and applied in a quantity as will be required to cover by the
succeeding coat before the slurry dries out. In general, slurry shall be made in a quantity sufficient for an
area not over 10 square meter at one time in order to maintain a “Live Glue” for bonding. The slurry shall
be applied by brush in small areas not exceeding 0.5 square meter. Excess or dead slurry shall be
constantly removed from the base by broom.
The ingredients of the artificial Patent Stone Floor should be mixed in a similar way as have been
described in the relevant Sub-sections of the Section on ‘Concrete Work’ of this Specification. The
concrete mix of the specified proportion shall be applied promptly with the specified thickness after
putting the cement slurry and before the slurry becomes hard and dry.
All constituents shall be thoroughly mixed. No re-tampered materials and no partially set materials shall
be used in the work.
The floor shall be divided into panels of specified size by means of wooden battens. The top of the
battens shall be at the level of the finished floor surface.
The mixture shall be laid evenly between the battens in alternate panels and shall be uniformly
consolidated and leveled by a strike off. When the moisture has disappeared from the surface, the
surface shall be steel-trowelled under firm pressure to produce a dense uniform smooth surface free
from trowel marks.
The dividing battens shall be removed carefully after 16 hours and the remaining panels shall be
completed in the aforesaid manner.
The neat cement application shall be minimum 2mm thick. A little extra thickness shall be allowed for
polishing. The floor shall be polished on expiry of at least 7 days after it is laid and a perfectly smooth
glazed surface is obtained. The work shall be cured and protected for 21 days on finishing.
17.1.4 Measurement
Artificial Patent Stone Floor including neat cement finishing in place completed in accordance with the
Specifications stated herein and/or as per the provisions of the BOQ and/or as shown on the Drawings
and/or as directed by the Engineer. Only the completed works as accepted by the Engineer will be
eligible for payment.
17.1.5 Payment
The amount of completed and accepted works measured as provided above shall be paid for at the
Contract unit prices per square meter of Patent Stone Floor as shown in the BOQ. The payment shall be
the full compensation for the cost of furnishing, transportation and storage of all materials and
equipment, all labours for mixing and laying concrete in alternate panels, compacting, curing and all
other works and incidentals necessary to complete the Work as per requirements described under this
item of Work, the BOQ, as shown on the Drawings and as directed by the Engineer. The item shall also
include all costs of materials, labours and equipment for neat cement finishing for which no separate
claim from the Contractor will be entertained.
Item of payment Unit
Patent Stone Floor including neat cement finishing Square meter

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17.2 Mosaic floor

17.2.1 Description

Works covered under this item shall consist of providing in-situ terrazzo toping of required thickness in
accordance with these specifications over an artificial patent stone floor constructed beforehand or on
any locations as required in the Bill of Quantities or as shown on the Drawings and/or as directed by the
Engineer.

17.2.2 Materials

Marble chips

Best quality machine crushed marble chips of Chinese, Pakistani or Indian origin as specified.

White cement

White cement shall be ‘Onoda’ brand or of an equivalent standard approved by the Engineer.

Grey cement

Cement used in the works shall be ordinary Portland cement complying with the requirements of ASTM
C150 Type 1 or BDS 232 or of an equivalent standard and those stated under the Section on
‘Construction Materials’ of this Specification.

Water

Water shall be clean, free from injurious quantities of oil, alkali, salts and organic materials or other
deleterious substances and shall not contain any visibly solid materials. All requirements shall be similar
to what have been stated under the relevant Sub-section of the Sections on ‘Concrete Work’ and
‘Construction Materials’ of this Specification. The Contractor shall get the water tested by comparing with
water of known satisfactory quality, if requested by the Engineer.

Glass strips

Glass dividers shall be of 5mm thickness and 20mm deep.

17.2.3 Construction methods

Terrazzo or mosaic floor shall be prepared with best quality Chinese/Pakistani/Indian origin marble chips
of requisite grades and colour as required (generally 90% white and 10% coloured), gray cement and
white cement. The cement and marble mixture shall be in the proportion of one part marble chips and
one part cement or as specified in the Bill of Quantities or as directed by the Engineer. The cement mix
shall consist of nine parts white cement and one part gray cement. The requisite quantity of aggregates
shall be thoroughly mixed. However, the required proportions of the mixes shall be determined at Site by
the Engineer.

White cement shall be ‘Onoda’ brand or an approved equal. Colouring materials shall be of best quality
of mineral pigment of high purity and shall be finely grounded, sun-proof and with specific gravity not
exceeding 5% by weight of cement used.

The Contractor shall submit three sets of samples of all type of marble chips to the Engineer for his
approval before procuring the materials. One set will be kept at the office of the Engineer, one set at the
Site office and the remaining set will be returned to the Contractor.

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The terrazzo work shall be polished by machine and carborundum stone of 80 grit followed by 120 and
200 grits and polishing stone until the finished surface becomes acceptable to the Engineer.

The Contractor shall prepare sample terrazzo work, which must receive the approval of the Engineer.
Before such approval is received, no full-scale work shall start. The floor layout shall fully conform to the
design as shown on the Drawing or as instructed by the Engineer.

The thickness of terrazzo topping shall be as shown on the Drawing or as specified in the Bill of
Quantities or as directed by the Engineer. The setting bed shall be 25mm thick artificial patent stone floor
prepared with one part ordinary Portland cement, two parts coarse sand and four parts 12mm down
graded coarse aggregate obtained from picked jhama chips/pea gravel/stone chips or in accordance with
the specifications of the BOQ.

Terrazzo floors shall be laid over previously roughened and wetted patent stone. The panels for terrazzo
floor shall be of the size as indicated in the relevant item of the BOQ, or as directed by the Engineer.
Glass dividing strips shall be used, if required under the items of the BOQ.

The sub-floors, over which the terrazzo flooring will be laid, shall be prepared in the same way as have
been stated under the Sub-section on ‘Patent Stone Floor’, but it will exclude the portion of the neat
cement finishing.

Following the preparatory works, a creamy bonding cement paste, prepared with ordinary Portland
cement, shall be applied and scrubbed with stiff bristle brushes on the surface, not exceeding an area of
about 0.4 square meter. In general, slurry shall be prepared in a quantity sufficient for an area not over
100 square meter at one time in order to maintain live-glue for bonding.

The terrazzo-topping layer shall then be well trowelled and compacted into the setting bed in the required
thickness with desired camber and levels.

A layer of cement paste of same composition as used in topping shall be well trowelled next to leave a
smooth surface.

The curing must be done after laying the mosaic work by wet sacking for 7 days.

After terrazzo topping has hardened enough to withstand any dislodgment, polishing works shall
commence, which shall be started with first grinding the surface by an approved type of grinding machine
with carborundum stone of 80 grits to expose the marble chips. The floors shall be kept wet during
grinding. Sweeping and flushing with clean water shall be done to remove all grind-off materials.

Air holes, pits and other blemishes shall than be filled with a thin grout of cement paste of same
composition as used in the topping.

On hardening of patch fillers, the floor shall receive successive grinding with carborundum stone upto
240 grit in a final finish. It shall then be cleaned and washed of all surplus materials.

The floor shall be kept undisturbed for a period of 2 weeks on even exposure of marble chips. On expiry
of this period the floor shall be cleaned of dirt and dust by rubbing gently with pumic stone (No. 40, No.
80, No. 120) using sufficient water. Stains shall be removed by moistening with Oxalic Acid and rubbing
with warm water, if required. No acid solutions shall be used.

The surface shall receive bee wax polishing on drying.

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All materials shall be mixed in dry state and shall be protected from harmful effects of moisture. Water
shall be added to only such amounts as may be consumed in quantities in less than 30 minutes as
required to produce workability. Mixing shall be done on watertight platform.

17.2.4 Measurement

Measurement shall be taken for payment in square meter of finished visible floor surface in place
completed in accordance with the Specifications stated herein and/or as per the provisions of the BOQ
and/or as shown on the Drawings and/or as directed by the Engineer. Only the completed works as
accepted by the Engineer will be eligible for payment.

17.2.5 Payment

The amount of completed and accepted work measured as provided above shall be paid at the Contract
unit price per square meter, which shall constitute the full compensation for furnishing all materials,
equipment and labour, including transport, storage and handling of materials, batching, mixing, pouring,
compacting and curing of terrazzo, providing glass divider strips, grinding, polishing of terrazzo and all
incidentals necessary to complete the Work in all respect as per requirements described under this item
of work, the BOQ, as shown on the Drawings and as directed by the Engineer. However, this item shall
not include the costs for the item on Artificial Stone Floor.

Item of payment Unit

Cast-in-situ mosaic floor Square meter

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17.3 Non-skid floor tiles

17.3.1 Description

Works covered under this item shall consist of supplying, fitting and fixing approved foreign/local made
homogeneous quartz/embossed, non-skid floor tiles or special quality fibrous floor tiles laid on cement
mortar base of proportion in accordance with the applicable Drawings, requirements of the BOQ, and
these Specifications and/or as directed by the Engineer.

17.3.2 Materials

Tiles

Tiles shall be either homogeneous quartz/embossed non-skid or special quality fibrous. The tiles shall be
local/foreign made and of the sizes as shown on the Drawings, described in the Schedule of Works
and/or as directed by the Engineer. They should be free from all wrapage blemishes and dimensional
defects.

Mortar

Mortar for installation shall consist of 1 part cement and 2 parts sand (FM 1.2). The specification for
cement and sand shall conform to those stated under the relevant Sub-sections of the Section on
‘Construction Materials’ of this Specification and/or as directed by the Engineer.

Grout

All grout for tile joints be prepared with white cement or coloured with inert pigments as and where
specified. The specification for white cement shall conform to those stated under the relevant Sub-
sections of the Section on ‘Construction Materials’ of this Specification and/or as directed by the
Engineer.

Water

Water shall be clean, free from injurious quantities of oil, alkali, salts and organic materials or other
deleterious substances and shall not contain any visibly solid materials. All requirements shall be similar
to what have been stated under the relevant Sub-section of the Sections on ‘Concrete Work’ and
‘Construction Materials’ of this Specification. The Contractor shall get the water tested by comparing with
water of known satisfactory quality, if requested by the Engineer.

17.3.3 Construction methods

The Contractor shall submit three sets of samples of all types of tiles to the Engineer for his approval
before procuring the materials. One set will be kept in the office of the Engineer, one set at the Site office
and the remaining set will be returned to the Contractor.

The Contractor shall prepare sample tile work and he should obtain its approval from the Engineer.
Before such approval is received, no full-scale work shall start. The design of the floor layout shall
conform to what have been shown on the Drawing and/or as directed by the Engineer.

The tiles shall be laid over previously roughened and wetted patent stone floor. The panels shall be of
the size as shown on the Drawings and/or as indicated in the relevant item of the BOQ and/or as directed
by the Engineer.

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The sub-floor on which the tiles will be laid, shall be prepared in the same way as have been stated
under the Sub-section on ‘Patent Stone Floor’ of this Section, but it will exclude the portion of neat
cement finishing.

The tiles are to be fitted and fixed on the floor on a base of 20mm thick cement mortar prepared with 1
part ordinary Portland cement and 2 parts sand of FM 1.2. The mortar bed shall be cut through
horizontally and vertically every 425mm to 600mm.

If the surface needs leveling, a scratch cost of plaster shall be applied, leveled and scratched for key and
be allowed to dry out for 12 hours before installing tiles. The setting mortar shall be applied evenly and a
neat cement paste to a thickness of about 2mm shall be trowelled to the back of the tiles. The tiles will
then be set on firmly tapped into place to ensure full contact. The joints shall be in specified pattern and
shall not exceed 2mm in width. The joints shall be raked with grout prepared with white cement and
coloured pigment and damp-cured for at least 3 days.

The tiles shall be soaked in water for at least 6 hours before laying. Installation shall be controlled by
strings, pages, spacers, levels or other suitable methods so as to ensure their correct laying and uniform
leveled joints.

17.3.4 Measurement

Measurement shall be taken for payment in square meter of finished tiled surface in place completed in
accordance with the Specifications stated herein and/or as per the provisions of the BOQ and/or as
shown on the Drawings and/or as directed by the Engineer. Only the completed works as accepted by
the Engineer will be eligible for payment.

17.3.5 Payment

The amount of completed and accepted works measured as provided above shall be paid at the Contract
unit price per square meter, which shall constitute the full compensation for furnishing all materials,
equipment and labour, including transport, storage and handling of materials, cleaning, preparing and
laying bed with cement mortar and cutting and laying the tiles with neat cement paste, grouting and
curing tiles ranking our joints, high quality finishing and all other works and all incidentals necessary to
complete the Work as per requirements described under this item of work, the requirements of the BOQ,
as shown on the Drawings and as directed by the Engineer. However, this item shall not include the
costs for the item on Artificial Stone Floor.

Item of payment Unit

Non-skid floor tiles Square meter

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