Some of the buildings that I manage use false flooring in portions of the structure with high service requirements ie. portions that carry high amount of cables, air-conditioner or even water supply pipes.
This type of floor consists of gridded metal framework or understructure of adjustable-height legs (“called Pedestal”) that provide support for individual floor panels, which are usually by 2 X 2 feet or 60 X 60 cms in size. The height of the legs/pedestals is dictated by the volume of cable and other services provided beneath, but typically arranged for clearance of at least six inches or 15cms. Additional structural support and lighting are often provided when a floor is raised enough for a person to crawl or even walk beneath.
The panels are normally made of steel-clad particleboard or a steel panel with a cementitious internal core. There are a variety of flooring finishes to suit the application such as carpets, high pressure laminates, marble, stone, and anti-static finishes for use in computer rooms and laboratories. Many modern computer and equipment rooms employ an under-floor cooling system to ensure even cooling of the room with minimal wasted energy. Cooled air is pumped under the floor and dispersed upward into the room through regularly spaced diffuser tiles or through ducts directed into specific equipment. One drawback of the false flooring is that because the flooring tiles are rarely removed once equipment has been installed, the space below them is seldom cleaned, and fluff and other debris settles so cleaning of the undercarriage is necessary from time to time.
