finishes

• Stucco or Cement Plaster


  Mortar consisting of cement, sand and water. Hydrated lime is often added to make the mortar easier to work. Applied in three coats: scratch, brown, and finish.
• Applying stucco or cement plaster

  1. Roughen concrete/masonry surface to ensure good bonding

  2. Apply scratch coat and scratch it to form a key for the second coat

  3. Apply brown coat a few days later and level it

  4. Apply finish coat over the brown coat, keep damp for a few days to prevent hairline cracks
• Rubbed Finish


  Grinding down the surface of the concrete a day or two after it is poured, using a brick of carborundum, emery or soft natural stone. Apply a thin grout of cement and sand to fill surface imperfections.
• Brushed Finish


  Scrubbing or brushing the concrete surface with fiber or wire brushes and water to remove the surface film or mortar, leaving the coarse aggregate exposed. Can be improved by washing with a diluted solution of acid.
• Tooled Finish


  Concrete surfaces finished by bush hammering, either by hand or by pneumatic tool. Best results on surfaces which are thoroughly hard, with small-sized aggregate.
• Sand-blast Finish


  Produces a granulated finish somewhat similar to sandstone but not so uniform, as the aggregates are likely to be brought out irregularly. Requires a thoroughly hardened concrete surface at least a month old.
• Exposed Aggregate Finish


  The color is obtained from exposed aggregate and not by adding coloring material to the mixture. Facing plaster of cement, sand, and special screenings or pebbles of the desired color is placed against the forms.
• Exposing aggregate

  Scrubbing the surface as in the Brushed Finish to expose the aggregate
• Wood Float Finish


  Concrete surface finished with a wood float to a flat, even and relatively smooth surface
• Steel Trowelled Finish


  Concrete surface finished with a steel trowel
• Integral Colored-Cement Finish


  Concrete surface finished with cement that has been integrally colored
• Granolithic Finish


  This consists of a topping with a mixture of 1 part cement, 1 part sand and 1 part finely crushed stone. It is called granolithic because fine aggregate chips were originally used in the aggregate.
• Ceramic Tile Finish


  These are small surfacing units made from clay or mixture of clay with other ceramic materials and fired according various processes.
• Unglazed tiles


  Composed of the same ingredients throughout and derive their color and texture from the materials of which the body is made
• Glazed tiles


  Have a glassy surface of ceramic materials fused upon their face to give them a decorative appearance and to make the surface impervious to moisture
• Glaze finishes

  • Bright glazes (highly polished surface that clearly reflects an image)
  • Matte glazes (do not clearly reflect an image or are entirely without sheen)
  • Semilustrous or satinlike finish
• Dust-press process


  1. Tiles are shaped in steel dies by applying heavy pressure to the damp ceramic mix while it is in finely pulverized form

  2. Gives greater mechanical precision and a more regular appearance to the tiles
• Plastic process


  1. Tiles are shaped from clay rendered plastic by mixing with sufficient water

  2. Made either by hand molding or by extrusion from an auger-machine

  3. Extruded ribbon of clay is cut into the desired sizes as it emerges from the die

  4. Vary slightly from the true geometric forms and have a more hand-made appearance
• Vitrification


  Measure of the tile's density and relative absorption which depends partly on the tile's composition and partly on the degree of burning
• Degrees of vitrification

  • Nonvitreous (moisture absorption over 7%)
  • Semivitreous (moisture absorption 3-7%)
  • Vitreous (moisture absorption under 3%)
  • Impervious (negligible moisture absorption)
• Glazed interior tiles


  Non-vitreous product made by the dust-press process
• Ceramic mosaic tiles


  • Tiles less than 6 sq. in. in facial area, preponderantly unglazed, and having fully vitrified or fairly dense bodies
  • Mounted on sheets of paper to facilitate installation
• Quarry tiles


  Unglazed floor tiles made from natural clays or shales by the plastic method, very durable and impervious
• Pavers


  Standard size unglazed tiles resembling ceramic mosaic tiles, usually 3"x3" to 6"x6", weatherproof and suitable for heavy floor service
• Resilient flooring


  Manufactured as tile or sheet including asphalt, vinyl, rubber, linoleum, and cork
• Asphalt tile/sheet


  Composition of thermoplastic binder, asbestos and other fibers, inert filler materials, and inert color pigments, formed under pressure while hot and cut to size
• Asphalt tile


  • Usually made in 9" squares and less commonly in 12" squares
  • Rectangular borders 18"x24" are made in a limited variety of colors and patterns
  • Usual thicknesses are 1/8" and 3/16"
• Vinyl tiles


  Made into thicknesses of 1.5mm, 2.0mm, 2.5mm and 3mm in squares 300mm x 300mm
• Vinyl sheet


  Made in rolls 2.0mm and 2.5mm thick x 1.80m (6') wide and in 50m lengths
• Vinyl flooring


  • Recommended where a colorful, textured, tough, durable, easily maintained, grease-resistant type of finish flooring is required for areas of both light and heavy human traffic
  • May be used for above-grade, on-grade and below-grade floors
  • Should not be used for exterior floor surfaces or in areas where specific chemicals that attack vinyl are used
• Rubber flooring


  • The quietest floor possible with the exception of thick cork tile
  • Colors are more brilliant than those of other types
  • Not as resistant to soap, oil and many household solvents, as vinyl and linoleum
• Linoleum


  Resilient, waterproof floor covering that consists of a backing covered with a relatively thick layer of wearing surface made of oxidized linseed oil, wood or cork flour, various fillers, stone dust, whiting, diatomite, resins binders, driers and inert color pigments
• Linoleum classifications

  • Plain
  • Marbled
  • Spatter
  • Straight-line inlaid
  • Molded inlaid
• Linoleum gauges

  • Service (1/16")
  • Standard (3/32")
  • Heavy (1/8")
• Strip flooring


  Tongue-and-grooved (T&G) boards 6" or less in width, with nominal sizes of 1" x 3", 1" x 4" and 1" x 6", and net (face) widths of 2-1/4", 3-1/4", and 5-1/4" respectively. Net thickness is 7/8".
• Laying strip flooring

  1. Start square the room against either side wall

  2. Place first strip with grooved edge towards the wall and face-nail as close to the wall as possible

  3. Blind-nail all succeeding strips

  4. Lay strips so joints in successive courses do not come together
• Plank flooring


  Square-edged boards 8" or more in width, usually face-nailed
• Parquet tile flooring


  Square pieces or blocks built up in several layers like plywood, with a veneered surface, or several parquet strips assembled at the factory to form a tile. Tiles are 3/8" or 5/15" in thickness, in squares of 9-5/8" x 9-5/8", 14-1/2" x 14-1/2", 19-1/4" x 19-1/4" and 24" x 24".
• Ceiling board


  Shiplapped boards with a bead running along the center of the board and along the joint, with thicknesses of 3/8 and ½ in and widths of 4 and 6 in
• Acoustic tile


  Used for ceiling and wall finishes in rooms where it is required to control sound by absorption. Types include cellulose fiber, mineral wool, and glass fiber tiles.