A Floating floor or Floating Foundation system is designed to create an insulated layer between the main concrete slab of a building and the base of the Chiller, MEP or HVAC equipment. The floating foundation comprises from several layers including rubber dampening Isolators and mats that will absorb vibration and prevent noise from entering the main structure of the building.
Our Floating Floor Foundation System will eliminate the floor slab vibration and minimize the airborne sound transmission that usually occurs from operating the electromechanical equipment such as, MEP, Chillers and HVAC systems.
Floating Floor Foundations have become increasingly critical, especially in urban environments where high-rise structures are the norm. With MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) systems, HVAC units, and chiller installations commonly placed on rooftops, the challenge of preventing disruptive vibrations from penetrating through the main concrete slab is paramount. Farrat floating floor systems, also known as floating foundation systems, provide an effective solution for minimizing these issues. They are specifically engineered to address these challenges by creating a resilient barrier that separates vibrations from the main concrete slab. This innovative system comprises of several essential components designed to absorb and isolate vibrations effectively.
Jack-Up Floating Floor System
Why Choose a Jack-Up Floating Floor?
The biggest advantage of a Farrat Jack-Up Floating Floor System is that isolation is guaranteed as the whole slab is lifted. There is no opportunity for any debris to be left in the cavity and any bridging is broken when the slab lifts.
The acoustic and structural performance of a Jack-Up floating floor is exactly the same as the equivalent non-jacked up system. The increased cost and installation time is only necessary in a few specialised circumstances:
A very low or adjustable air-gap is required
It is deemed likely that the isolators may need to be replaced in the future
The slab is required to take high loads (e.g. used as a storage area) before it is raised
Farrat Jack-Up Floating Floor System Features
Jack-Up Floating Floors comprise of a concrete slab which is poured on a damp proof membrane on the structural slab. The slab is then ‘jacked’ up by way of units cast into the slab. They are favoured by acoustic consultants because of the certainty that the slab is fully decoupled from the surrounding structure.
Jack-Up floor slabs must be made from concrete and reinforced using mesh rather than fibres as the Jack-Up mounts are designed to link with the mesh to spread load when the slab is lifted.
A traditional Concrete Floating Floor System will be the most cost effective option as the acoustic performance characteristics of the two systems are identical.
However, in special circumstances, a Jack-Up Floating Floor slab can provide a number of key advantages including;
a low height and/or adjustable air-gap
replaceable isolators
the ability to take very high loads before jacking up (so the area could be used as a storage area during construction).
Farrat Floating Floors
- Are used in a wide range of buildings to protect sensitive areas from noise sources or to contain noise sources within their areas
- Offer flexibility in delivery as well as being easy, fast and economical to install
- Provide a high degree of impact, shock and vibration control through a combination of mass addition and structural decoupling by constructing the floating slab on elastometric or coil spring isolators tuned to specific frequencies
- Provide a high degree of airborne noise isolation through the incorporation of an air layer between the structural slab and the floating slab
- Offer unparalleled flexibility in design, layout, acoustic and load carrying capacity
- Are laboratory tested to national and international standards
- Are supported by Farrat’s specialist team of structural and acoustic engineers
Standards & Compliance
- Elastomeric Compounds & Isolators Our compounds conform with the requirements and testing procedures set out in BS 6177:1982 and BS EN 1337-3:2005.
- Acoustic Testing Our acoustic floating floor systems have been laboratory tested in accordance with BS EN ISO 140-4 & 7:1998 in a UKAS accredited laboratory. Full test data is available on request.
- Quality Assurance Farrat Isolevel Ltd operates an ISO 9001:2015 approved quality assurance system.
- Sustainability Farrat takes sustainability and environmental responsibility very seriously. Before each project, we undertake a waste mitigation exercise to limit the amount of waste we generate by effective planning. We use FSC/PEFC certified timber (Breeam Tier 3) and recycled aggregates in our CEM II/III concrete (Breeam Tier 3) meaning we can ensure you have the ability to achieve the maximum amount of credits under Breeam MAT 03.
All of the materials we use in our floating floors are 100% recyclable.