Floors should be designed to sustain safely the combined dead and imposed loads, without excessive deflection (Building Regulations 1991: Schedule-1 Requirement A1: Standard 1.1 in Scotland).
In self-contained dwellings FLOORMATE™-A insulation can support the design load when:
- sited above a groundbearing slab and covered with suitable plywood, chipboard or screed
- sited below a groundbearing slab and receiving the dead load of the slab and the loading transferred through the slab
- laid on timber decking and covered with suitable plywood or chipboard.
Load bearing internal partitions must be built off the structural floor not the FLOORMATE-A insulation boards. Internal masonry walls must have their own foundations.
For buildings other than dwellings the correct grade of FLOORMATE-A insulation should be selected on the basis of an assessment of the loading by a structural engineer.
The maximum acceptable load on FLOORMATE-A insulation products is the design load together with a suitable safety factor. (The "design load" is that load on the insulation which will give a maximum compression of 2% after 50 years).
Design loads of FLOORMATE-A products:
FLOORMATE 300-A: 130 kN/m2
FLOORMATE 500-A: 180 kN/m2
FLOORMATE 700-A: 250 kN/m2