The importance of “technical finishes” (particularly the raised floors) in the interior spaces organization of the modern tertiary building is growing exponentially.
Becoming integrated with the plant engineering, these components constitute the inner covering of the office space and contribute to solve all complex  problems connected with “office planning”.

The raised floor was initially created to solve the problems of plant engineering and of the quick transformation of data processing centers. Its application was afterwards extended to many other types of spaces: offices, banks, diagnostic centers, telephone exchanges, control rooms, studios, to all the spaces where electrical, telephonic and information plant engineering spread.

Why?

Because raised floor allows to draw a hollow space where it’s possible to lodge services and works. Therefore it becomes a substantial ally for the designer who seeks a rational utilization of the spaces by the creation of a suitably system of network distribution (electric, of lighting, of sanitary water, of hot and cold water for air-conditioning terminals) of transmission and automation plants. Raised floor rationally solves the usually subsisting contradiction between building structure, conceived to be unchanged in time, and fixtures system, continuously evolving.

Traditional technique of binding steadly, even if partly, cables, pipes and conduits to masonry works drastically limits the office evolutive dynamics by binding,
since the beginning, the installers activity to the bricklayers one. Suffice it to think of the series of complications created by the unforeseen addition or by the moving of a workplace to be fitted out with a telephone, a terminal or a light spot.

A raised modular floor solves these problems at the root as it allows the realization of a fixtures volume without barriers that is accessible and inspectable
in every point. The hollow space allows to install the plant-engineering network, according to the shortest optimum way, before the laying of the panels, but also after the completion of the building works.

The peculiar features of technical floor reveal themselves effective also in the renovation of old buildings or in the reconversion of industrial structures into
complexes for offices.

What is it?

Raised floor isn’t a simple walking plane, as a traditional floor could be, but it is a proper part of a plant. It is a constituent system consisting of three essential
elements:
- bearing structure;
- the structural core of modular panels;
- upper finish covering;

The metal structure on which panels rest is usually constituted by galvanized steel and then completed by small metal columns and stringers necessary to
guarantee a good tightness. In case the foreseen loads are high the micrometer adjustment of the single glumns allows to compensate for depressions and imperfections of the concrete slab. Connecting stringers present different thicknesses according to the loads they have to carry, besides they are covered with a gasket on the upper face with the double function of sound insulation and of air and dusttightness. Panels have a standard size of 600x600 mm. and are generally available in two different types:
1. Wood and resin conglomerate At high density normally plated at the bottom with an alluminium sheet, plastic laminate or galvanized sheet.
A wooden panel covered with an alluminium sheet actually opposes a stronger barrier to humidity and improves its electrical peculiarities. A galvanized steel
sheet on one or both the surfaces improves panel capacity load. Nominal thickness (calculated without covering) changes to favour applicative requirements.
2. Inert material
Characterized by very high fire resistence and fire reaction, high load bearing capacity and excellent sound absorption. As for the range of coverings there is plenty to choose from: moquettes, vinyls, linoleum, rubbers and laminate, parquets, baked clays marbles, granites, agglomerates and ceramics. The choice of the covering should be done on the basis of electrical and mechanical requirements. The covering is in a sense the only component of raised floor to allow the conciliation of technology with the aesthetic, even artistic, demands of modern office or representation spaces. Raised floor is usually equipped with a series of accessories for maintenance or finishing such as suckers (panels lifters), air-flow grilles, chipboard vertical closing ramps or steps.

The technical – functional peculiarities of a raised floor are given by the synergetic summation of the characteristic and the performance of a correct
combination of structure, panel and covering.

How must it be?

There are significant parameters for the choice of a raised floor that may be summed up in a series of requisites set by market to the product.
A floor is usually measured and styles itself keeping count in the first place of mechanical resistance. This reading is measured and expressed on the basis of two parameters:
Resistance to the evenly arranged load and resistance to the concetrated load.

Resistance readings are expressed by an arrow and so by the deflection the floor is subjected to under a certain load. The reference arrow is of 2,5 mm. according to what admitted by the main eleborator builders. The progressive necessity of furnishing the tertiary office of electronic terminals orders that raised floor has antistatic features for their good running and for people safety.

Fire resistance is determining for a raised floor and is calculated on the bases of three parameters:
- mechanical stability (R)
- fire proof (E)
- thermic insulation (I)

Tests and certifications show how long the contemporaneous action of the three factors lasts. Then there is fire reaction revealing the behaviour of a raised floor exposed to an attempt of ignition (flame trigger) from outside.