What Is Platform Flooring?

Construction

• As the name suggests, a platform floor is literally a raised floor. The surface of the floor is raised above the foundation. A platform floor uses girders, beams, joists and sheathing panels to create a flat surface that remains strong and durable. A typical platform floor contains a wood surface, though you can accurately refer to any raised floor (wood or otherwise) as a platform floor.

Benefits

• In American home construction, platform flooring is common due to its specific benefits. Most notably, it prevents moisture from entering the home. Homes built on flat foundations may become subject to flooding as a result of heavy rain water seeping in from beneath the doors, but platform flooring can reduce or even eliminate this problem. Platform flooring also reduces the presence of small pests entering the home.

Sustainability

• Since wood construction has less of an environmental strain than other foundation materials like steel and concrete, a wooden raised floor can provide eco-friendly benefits Foundation and structural problems are also easier to remedy on a platform floor. For example, on a non-raised floor, a plumbing leak can have devastating effects and prove difficult to locate. On a platform floor, you can remedy problems more quickly and easily with less damage to the foundation.

Potential Problems

• As with all household wood structures, termites can prove problematic on a platform floor. You can replace damaged sections of a platform floor without needing to an invest in a whole new floor, but you can prevent termites altogether by using simple termite shields. Shields install between the wood floor and the main foundation below. If you plan to build platform floors (or to have them built on your behalf), make termite shields a part of the plan.

  Mold can also pose a problem on platform floors, so keep your floors clean and dry at all times.