Construction of a frame podium in an apartment or how to raise part of the floor
A podium is a part of the floor raised above its main surface. This technique is most often used to visually indicate the functional areas of a room or to free up useful space in a cramped room (for example, when beds move into the space under the podium). It is impossible to buy a podium ready - it is always built on the spot taking into account the existing conditions in the room. Its design is simple and, if desired, is carried out independently.
Concrete or wood podiums: what to prefer?
Podiums can be made of monolithic concrete or a wooden frame, sheathed with flooring sheet material.
In the first case, concrete is poured into a pre-installed formwork, repeating the shape of the future podium. After the concrete has hardened, its surface is leveled with a screed, then the floor covering is laid. It can be tiles, parquet, laminate, carpet, linoleum, etc.
The concrete podium is very durable and reliable, it does not leak moisture, does not rot and can withstand a heavy load. The only thing is that even a not too high concrete podium has a very large weight and creates a huge load on the floors. We conclude: this option is only suitable for private houses (on the ground floor), for city apartments it can cause damage to floors.
The podium on the basis of a wooden (occasionally - metal) frame, on the contrary, is very light, practically does not load the floors and is great for apartments of urban high-rise buildings. Therefore, it is the construction of such a podium with our own hands that we will consider in this article.
Frame podium device
Mounting a wooden frame
The podium, like the rest of the floor, should be flat, because you have to walk on it and install furniture. Therefore, before starting construction, it is necessary to mark the height of the frame on the walls. Applying the laser level (this is ideal, although you can do with the usual building level), draw on the walls with which the podium will come in contact, a straight line corresponding to its height and dimensions.
The frame is made of timber. Depending on the size and availability of niches, the supporting bars of the frame can be mounted to the wall or floor. For a small podium, it will be sufficient to fasten them to the walls vertically using anchors. The smaller the distance between these posts, the stronger the structure will be (recommended 40 cm pitch).
Start collecting the top of the frame by laying horizontal bars on the racks. Connect the bars with each other strictly at right angles, using nails or self-tapping screws for this. The connection points are well fixed by the metal corners, therefore, if the podium is large, it is advisable to use them.
If the end of the podium should not be even, but curved, then the frame should be done like that. To do this, the shape of the bend is outlined on the floor and vertical bars are fixed on this frame on this reference point. The distance between them depends on the curvature of the end, usually no more than 20-30 cm. Additionally, the bars must be installed at those points where the end line changes its direction.
For sound insulation, it is advisable to fill the inner surface (if it is not used for niches) with mineral wool or foam. Such a measure will reduce the booming sound that, when walking on the catwalk, emits an empty interior space, and also serves as good thermal insulation.
Frame cladding
The frame is sheathed on top with durable sheet material. To do this, you can use ordinary boards, USB or OSB sheets, gypsum boards or plywood. Fasten sheets of the selected material to the frame bars with nails or self-tapping screws. Be sure to leave expansion joints (2-3 mm) between adjacent sheets, which, if the material swells, will prevent surface deformation.
If the internal space of the podium will be used and should remain free, then the frame is sheathed from the inside. In the absence of internal niches, the front side (end) of the podium is immediately sheathed.
Podium Finish
Finishing the podium can be done using a variety of floor materials, almost like a regular floor (unless the bulk floors are out of place here). Choose what you like: carpet, laminate flooring, parquet, linoleum, cork, ceramic tiles.
Usually requires a special approach finishing the front of the podium. If it has an even border, it is sheathed in the same way as the top of the podium. If the border is made in waves, then for its sheathing you will need a flexible material that is easy to bend. For these purposes, specialists use flexible plywood, metal profiles (brass or aluminum), MDF panels, PVC skirting boards.
Often, the closed end of the podium is used as a surface for installing LED spotlights or a neon light strip. All communications are hidden in the inside of the podium, preferably with the intended access to them.
Now, after the construction of the podium is completed, go through it, evaluate if there are any sagging, creaks. If everything is in order, then you can install furniture and begin to equip the "elevated" corner of the apartment.
Anton
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