Housing Easy Guide:

Beam and Block Ground Floors

This Easy Guide on beam and block floors Introduction: Beam and block ground floors
aims to provide an overview of this method Beam and block ground floors are the most commonly
of construction for housing. The guidance is used option in new-build homes and larger extensions.
The installation is quick and requires very little ground
a practical introduction to the characteristics,
preparation. They are also the preferred option where there
performance benefits and latest design is a large depth of fill below the floor and where heave/
guidance for beam and block ground floors. subsidence may occur – for example, close to trees. The
concrete beams can span up to 8m without the need for
subfloor walls, although a typical span is around 6m or less.
For detailed design guidance and
Key benefits
requirements for regulatory/warranty
compliance, refer to further guidance • Quick to install, with minimal ground work required
listed on the back page. • Extremely robust and strong
• Can span up to 8m without the need for a subfloor wall
Our series of Easy Guides for Housing is • Excellent thermal performance and works well with
available at modernmasonry.co.uk underfloor heating
• Overcomes ground movement problems
• All-weather method of construction
• No shrinkage, flexing, bouncing or squeaking
• Rot proof and fire resistant
• Can be used as a first (or upper) floor solution, providing
thermal and acoustic benefits.

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 Housing Easy Guide:
Beam and Block Ground Floors

Figure 1: Basic beam and block floor

layout configuration

Standard spacing = 440mm

(215mm if blocks placed sideways
for higher spans/loads)

Infill depth = 100mm

Typical depth = 150mm

(175, 200 and 225mm beams
are available for higher loads)

75-100mm
bearing
Damp-proof course
laid on blocks

Floor construction The spacing of the beams is determined by the longest side
of the block – i.e. 440mm – but if greater floor strength is
The construction of beam and block floors is straightforward.
needed, the blocks can be turned sideways and the beams
The precast concrete beams are laid in rows with the ends
spaced at 215mm intervals. One or more beams can be
supported by the blockwork inner leaf of a cavity wall.
placed immediately adjacent to each other requiring an
A damp-proof course (DPC) is located between the beams
in-situ concrete infill to support internal non loadbearing
and supporting blocks to prevent rising damp (see Figure 1).
walls. The use of multiple beams in this way requires in-situ
Other damp proofing is likely to be limited to a membrane concrete to be placed between them (see Figure 2).
(see Figure 4). The beams are supported by the inner leaf, with
Internal loadbearing walls require a supporting wall
a bearing of 75-100mm. The profile of the beams resembles
constructed in the floor void, with appropriate footings.
an inverted T, which provides a recess of 100mm
The ends of the beams sit on the supporting wall and
to accommodate standard blocks on their side.
overlap each other by 100mm (see Figure 3).

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 Figure 2: Supporting internal
Non-loadbearing wall non-loadbearing walls
built off multiple beams

In-situ concrete infill between beams

with a minimum of C20 concrete

Split course blocks

Internal loadbearing wall

built over supporting wall

Supporting wall
built in floor void

Figure 3: Supporting internal

loadbearing walls Overlapping beams

The beams or greater compressive strength. This requirement will be

meet by blocks with a 3.5 KN transverse strength that have
The beams are made from pre-stressed concrete and
been tested in accordance with British Standards. Most
manufactured in standard lengths, available in 50mm
block manufacturers provide BBA certificates to confirm the
increments. Typically they are 150mm deep, but for larger
strength of their products. Aircrete and aggregate blocks can
spans and loads deeper beams of 175mm, 200mm or
be used, with densities ranging from around 600kg/m3 to
225mm can be used. To ensure loads are transmitted safely,
2,000kg/m3. ‘Split course’ blocks are used to make up heights
beams must be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s
and infill between the beams (see Figure 2). They are available
guidance, and compliant with design standards.
in a range of thicknesses to suit different beam depths, but
The blocks for a standard 150mm beam, they are generally 385mm
Standard size blocks are normally used (440mm x 215mm long, 100/140mm wide and 40mm deep, with a minimum
x 100mm) although larger aerated floor blocks are also compressive strength of 7N/mm2. ‘Closure blocks’ specifically
available. In terms of strength, 100mm aggregate blocks designed to fit between the ends of beams can also be used
conforming to BS EN 771-3 must provide either 7.3 N/mm2 to help speed up floor edge construction.

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 Housing Easy Guide:
Beam and Block Ground Floors

Ventilating the floor void Floor insulation

The void under the floor should be ventilated in accordance Floor insulation is supplied in boards with a standard size
with the Building Regulations. Requirements will generally of 2.4m x 1.2m. These are most commonly made from
be met with a void of at least 150mm deep that is expanded or extruded polystyrene, polyurethane foam
adequately ventilated to remove moisture and prevent any (PUR) or polyisocyanurate (PIR). Expanded polystyrene is
build-up of ground gases such as methane. The openings the cheapest option but gives a lower level of thermal
should be at least 1,500mm2 per linear metre or 500mm2 performance than PUR and PIR. Extruded polystyrene
per m2 of floor (whichever is greater) and should ideally be offers a level of performance that lies between the two.
achieved with openings on at least two opposite sides. The choice of material is one of the factors that determine
the thickness of insulation needed, along with the required
Levelling screed and grouting
U-value and the perimeter-to-area ratio (P/A) of the floor.
The blocks need to provide a relatively smooth and flat Insulation manufacturers provide look-up tables to simplify
surface for the insulation, with a tolerance of about 5mm the calculation process and also generally offer a free
or less over a 2m span, measured with a straight edge. calculation service or online U-value calculator. As a rough
This is about the same as the upward camber of the guide, around 150mm of PUR/PIR insulation or 200mm of
concrete beams (which is a normal feature), so a levelling expanded polystyrene insulation is needed to achieve the
screed may or may not be needed, but is generally notional Part L1A ground floor U-value of 0.13W/m2K with
recommended. In practice, the grout used to infill between a worst-case P/A ratio of approximately 0.7. A more relaxed
blocks can also act as a levelling screed, so the two jobs can U-value and/or lower P/A ratio requires less insulation.
be tackled together. Typically a 4:1 sharp sand/cement grout For example, a U-value of 0.18W/m2K with a P/A of 0.4 will
is brushed into all joints and left overnight to provide a rigid require approximately 90mm of PUR/PIR or 125mm of
construction ready for laying the insulation. expanded polystyrene.

"The choice of material is one of the factors that

determine the thickness of insulation needed, along
with the required U-value and the perimeter-to-area
ratio (P/A) of the floor. Insulation manufacturers provide
look-up tables to simplify the calculation process and
also generally offer a free calculation service or online
U-value calculator."
4

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Damp proof membrane (DPM)

The DPM, which may sometimes be referred to as a vapour

control layer, separating layer or slip layer, is located on
the top surface of the insulation (see Figure 4). This keeps
warm, moist room air on the warm side of the insulation,
preventing the risk of condensation within the floor structure.
It also acts as a protective barrier for the insulation, reducing
damage from wet screed. Any particular requirements for
the vapour control layer will be specified by the insulation
manufacturer, but will typically need a 1,000-gauge
polythene sheet to be placed over the insulation board.
However, there are insulation products available that
incorporate a resilient facing material, enabling the screed
to be applied directly.

Figure 4: Typical insulation and

screed build up

Screed
(65mm minimum depth for dwellings.
35mm for some proprietary products)

Damp proof membrane

(typically 1000 gauge polythene sheet)

Perimeter insulation
(minimum 25mm)

Levelling screed
(if required) Rigid insulation board

5
 Housing Easy Guide:
Beam and Block Ground Floors

Beam and block upper floors In terms of installation, fixing any product at height should
only be carried out by qualified installers and there are many
The beam and block system is widely used for ground floors
companies that have a good track record of installing beam
but is also well suited to upper floors, where it offers a number
and block upper floors. All members of the Precast Flooring
of performance advantages over alternative timber based
Federation adhere to its Code of Practice, which has been
options. These centre on the resilience and solidity concrete
compiled by Health and Safety experts. The Code gives a
provides, resulting in:
guide to the current good practice for the installation of all
• Acoustic separation is excellent between floors and types of precast flooring i.e. beam-and-block, hollowcore, etc.
squeaking floor boards are avoided; a regular source It is available to download at www.precastfloors.info.
of irritation to home owners and amongst the most
Installing services is relatively straightforward; beam and block
common complaints in new properties.
suppliers will provide ‘ceiling clips’ that sit on the shoulder of
• Fire resistance: concrete has a much better fire rating the floor beam, dropping beneath the level of the floor and
than timber, reducing risk to occupants and providing the are typically suited to a 50 x 38mm batten. This leaves a void
potential to decrease insurance premiums. between the soffit of the floor and the top side of the batten,
allowing services to be run to the underside of the floor.
• Thermal mass is provided which helps to lower the risk
of summer overheating by absorbing heat inside the The cost of installing a beam and block upper floor is
dwelling during the day and releasing it during the night moderately higher, although it should be remembered that
when windows can be opened for ventilation and cooling. it represents a premium product with performance to match.
It is suited to most types of masonry housing, particularly
• Robustness and longevity; beam and block flooring will self-build projects, high quality developments and any project
easily last 120 years and probably a lot longer. Concrete is where performance is a key driver.
an inherently durable material that is resilient to rot, water
damage and general wear and tear.

Thermal bridging and construction details While some thermal bridging is inevitable in all forms
of housing, its impact can be greatly reduced by careful
In modern housing design, the need to minimise thermal
attention to the detailing and construction of junctions.
bridging is as important as good airtightness and effective
For masonry housing this is most easily addressed through
insulation, all of which are essential for achieving good fabric
the use of standardised, high-performance construction
energy efficiency. The term ‘thermal bridging’, describes heat
details that are freely available from a number of sources
loss that occurs within the building envelope where an area
(see right). Each detail has its own calculated heat loss
has significantly higher heat loss than the surrounding fabric
rating (psi value) for use in SAP, and is also accompanied
due to the geometry or the presence of materials with poor
by a simple 2D drawing showing how it is constructed,
insulating properties– thereby creating a bridge for heat
along with dimensions and specification of key components
to escape. Common examples of a thermal bridge include
(see Figure 5 for an example).
lintels, balconies and the junction between floors and walls.
In addition to impacting energy efficiency, the resulting cold
patch can attract condensation, which may in turn lead to a
mould problem.

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 Figure 5: Example construction detail
for the junction between a cavity wall
and a beam and block ground floor
(from the LABC website).
The R-Value of the
perimeter insulation
should be at least 0.8m2K/W

Ensure that the floor insulation is tightly

Continue the cavity butted against the external wall
insulation at least
225mm below the top of
the concrete

Use of these details offers an easy win, as they provide a The key sources of high-performance masonry
low-cost means of enhancing thermal performance and are construction details are the:
fully compliant with the Building Regulations. The alternative
1. Local Authority Building Control (LABC):
option of using unverified construction details will attract
Details for aggregate and aircrete block construction
a significant performance penalty in the SAP assessment,
resulting in up to a 60% increase in heat loss from junctions 2. Concrete Block Association: Details for aggregate
than would otherwise occur. It will also require greater block construction
effort and cost to be spent on other aspects of the design 3. Constructive Details Limited: Details for aircrete
to compensate for the loss of performance and ensure the block construction.
fabric energy efficiency target set by Part L1A of the Building
Regulations is achieved.

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 Housing Easy Guide:
Beam and Block Ground Floors

Sources of further information

Suggested further guidance for regulatory Guidance from The Concrete Centre.
compliance and new-build warranty purposes: Download all of these guides from
Building Regulations Approved Document – www.concretecentre.com/publications
Part A: Structure Masonry Junctions – best practice tips and illustrated
Building Regulations Approved Document – guidance, Zero Carbon Hub, 2011.
Part B: Fire safety
Thermal Performance Part L1A, The Concrete Centre, 2016.
Building Regulations Approved Document –
Part E: Resistance to the passage of sound How to design masonry structures to Eurocode 6
(Introduction/Vertical Stability/Lateral Stability),
Building Regulations Approved Document – The Concrete Centre, 2014.
Part L: Conservation of fuel and power
Thermal Mass Explained, The Concrete Centre, 2015.
BE EN 1996:2006 – Design of masonry structures
to Eurocode 6 Concrete and Fire Safety, The Concrete Centre, 2018.
PD 6697:2010 – UK supporting document to How to Achieve Good Levels of Airtightness in
BS EN 1996:2006 Masonry Homes, The Concrete Centre, 2011.
BS 8103-1:2011 – Structural design of low-rise
buildings. Code of practice for stability, site Further information on specific building products
investigation, foundations, precast concrete floors
and ground floor slabs for housing The Aircrete Products Association: www.aircrete.co.uk
BS EN 15037 – Precast concrete products. Beam-and- The Concrete Block Association: www.cba-blocks.org.uk
block floor systems. Brick Development Association: www.brick.org.uk
NHBC Standards – Part 2: Introduction to the
Mortar Industry Association: www.mortar.org.uk
standards and technical requirements
British Precast Buyers Guide: www.britishprecast.org
NHBC Standards – Part 5.2: Suspended ground floors
Precast Flooring Federation: www.precastfloors.info

About these Easy Guides

This series of guides has been authored by Tom De The Modern Masonry Housing Easy Guides are part
Saulles, The Concrete Centre, on behalf of Modern of the Better Built in Blockwork campaign to share
Masonry. Tom would like to thank the Modern Masonry best practice for the design and construction of high
technical working group, the Concrete Block Association performance housing.
and the Aircrete Products Association for their Modern Masonry is affiliated to MPA British Precast.
contributions in developing these guides.
To download the Housing Easy Guides and to access
information about masonry construction visit
www.modernmasonry.co.uk

All advice or information from the MPA British Precast and its affiliates is intended Modern Masonry, The Old Rectory, Main Street, Glenfield, Leicestershire LE3 8DG
only for use in the UK by those who will evaluate the significance and limitations of its
contents and take responsibility for its use and application. No liability (including that Tel: +44 (0)116 232 5170 Email: [email protected]
for negligence) for any loss resulting from such advice or information is accepted by ©Modern Masonry, part of MPA British Precast/MPA The Concrete Centre, 2018.
British Precast or its subcontractors, suppliers or advisors. Readers should note that the
publications from MPA British Precast and its affiliates are subject to revision from time
to time and should therefore ensure that they are in possession of the latest version.

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