Temporary flooring options
If you’re faced with an uneven ground surface and don’t want to go to the expense of having a permanent base laid for a temporary solution, there are a number of temporary flooring options.
The budget option is to have a plastic portable floor (similar to those used at festivals and events to create pathways), which simply lays to your existing surface like this one which was installed at the temporary cruise line baggage hall at Liverpool.
This system works well on level surfaces and is capable of withstanding 2.5tonne forklift trucks. It’s also very quick to install and relatively cheap to hire.
The biggest downside with this type of floor is it can lift in extreme heat (which we don’t get a lot of in the UK) and of course, if you get any water ingress due to sloping ground, the water will run across the top of the portable floor.
A better option can be a ‘heavy-floor’ system which is designed to level the ground and has the added benefit of acting as the base for the temporary building, so there is no need to penetrate the ground to anchor the building into place.
The image above, shows a temporary building installed on top of a ‘heavy-floor’ on a grassed area.
These are used extensively when temporary buildings are supplied to power stations and oil refineries when they are used as site workshops and offices.
It can also be used for car show rooms and retail areas as seen here, at a temporary Pret-A-Manger coffee lounge.
The best feature of this floor is that as it is a sub-structure system, it lifts the entire building off the existing ground surface, so any water runs underneath and it guarantees a level surface.
It is limited in its weight baring capacity to 500kg’s m² so it is not feasible to use it for fork lift trucks or heavy palletised goods.
It is possible to run a pump truck across it, so providing fork lift access is not needed, this floor system is a very fast and effective way to create a solid level base, when the existing ground surface is either too uneven or there is only a grassed or hardcore area.
In some situations a raised concrete base might be better, but if the intention is only to use the temporary building for a few months, as opposed to years, then a new concrete base would probably be cost prohibitive.
Author bio: Sophia writes for Smart Space, Britain’s leading specialist in flexible building solutions since 1985.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
STEM ambassadors needed for ICE CityZen award.
Digital gaming competition for UK students aged 16 to 18.
Heritage protection in England vs Australia.
Fire doors and the Fire Door Inspection Scheme.
Three-quarters of fire doors fail inspections
UN International Day for Biological Diversity, May 22.
The role of geoparks, biospheres and world heritage sites.
BSRIA conference 2022, June 23.
Just one month to go ! Find out more here.
Restoring Broadbent’s Bath House
A new gallery for the University of Huddersfield.
Corruption in the construction industry.
What will it take to stop it ?
To celebrate world bee day 2022 !
Just one month until the changes to part L come into effect.
Not forgetting part F and the new part overheating part O.
Heat Pump demand rises by one quarter.
As energy prices jump up in cost.
With people in the UK from Ukraine.
Industry leader Steve Murray takes on role.
An abundant and versatile building material.
How overheating complicates ending gas in the UK.
600,000 heat pump installations targeted per year by 2028.
Cost planning, control and related articles on DB.
Helping prevent those unwanted outcomes.
ICE debate Public transport - post pandemic.
How has transport changed due to Covid-19 ?
Cross-ventilation in buildings. Do you have it ?
Will you need it ? after June 15 and the new Part O ?
Share your knowledge with the industry.
Create an account and write the first of many articles.
The green jobs delivery group.
CIAT commentary after the first meeting.
Liverpool's world heritage site status
Who is to blame?
Research recommends focussing on portfolio success rather than project success.