Flooring for raised access floors (RAF)
Raised access floors are standard in offices, education and many commercial fit-outs, and one of the questions we are asked most often is whether a real wood or cork floor can go over them. It can, every range we supply works over a raised access floor (RAF) system. What changes is the installation method, and that comes down to one decision: does the access floor need to stay liftable?
Can our floors go over raised access flooring?
Yes. Engineered oak, cork, Vermont, Organic and end-grain have all been installed over raised access floors on commercial schemes. A raised access floor gives you a rigid, level platform, which suits a quality floor finish, the key is preparing the panels correctly and choosing a fixing method that matches how the floor will be used and maintained.
What a raised access floor changes in the specification
A raised access floor sits on adjustable pedestals over a structural slab, creating a services void for cabling, power, data and sometimes air. The panels lift out for access, which is the feature you have to design around: bond the finish down and you gain stability but lose easy panel access; float or loose-lay it and panels can be reached in sections. The access floor system itself also sets the load and deflection performance, so the finish is specified to complement it, not to carry the load.
How to install our floors over a raised access floor
Start with the panels: they should be flat, rigid, secure and gap-free, with any lipping or level differences corrected and, where needed, a suitable overlay board or smoothing layer added to give a continuous substrate. From there the method depends on the range and the access requirement:
- Floating / click, laid over the panels with an underlay; ideal where sections of the access floor must stay liftable.
- Fully bonded, adhered to the panels or to an overlay board for the most stable, seamless result; reaching a panel then means cutting the finish.
- Acoustic underlay, added under the finish where impact-sound performance over the void is important.
- Perimeters and thresholds, allow for movement at the perimeter and detail thresholds to adjoining finishes and any access hatches.
Which range suits your RAF project
| Range | Method over RAF | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Winderen engineered oak | Floated or bonded | 3 mm oak wear layer, re-sandable; float to keep panels liftable |
| Vermont engineered | Click, floating | Best where access panels must stay reachable |
| Classic Cork | Bonded | Warmth, comfort and 14 dB impact-sound benefit |
| Organic resilient | Bonded / loose-lay | 2.5 mm, Class 43, a thin, hard-wearing build-up |
| Endgrain | Bonded, finished in situ | Exceptional durability for heavy-traffic areas |
Point loading, acoustics and access
Confirm the raised access floor system’s load and deflection rating for the project’s traffic, castors and heavy items, that is set by the access floor, not the finish. Our floors then add their own performance on top: commercial use-class and 25,000-cycle castor-chair ratings on cork, and impact-sound reduction of 14 dB for cork and 18 dB for engineered oak. Where the services void must stay reachable, plan removable sections or a floating finish from the outset.
Project experience
We have supplied cork and wood floors for commercial interiors built on raised access floors, and we are happy to talk through panel type, fixing method and finish for your scheme. See our projects or get in touch with your RAF details.
Raised access flooring, FAQ
Common questions on flooring over RAF.
Can you install flooring over a raised access floor?
Yes. All of our ranges, engineered oak, cork, Vermont, Organic and end-grain, can be installed over raised access floor (RAF) systems. The right method depends on whether the access panels need to stay liftable: a floating click floor can be laid over the panels and taken up in sections, while bonded systems are fixed to the panels or to an overlay board. We will advise the best approach for your RAF system.
Do the access panels stay removable after the floor is laid?
If future access to the services void is needed, specify a floating or loose-lay finish, or a demountable overlay, so sections can be lifted. Bonding a floor directly to the access panels gives the most stable result but means the finish has to be cut to reach a panel. Tell us your access requirement and we will specify accordingly.
What about point loads and panel deflection over RAF?
The raised access floor system sets the load and deflection performance, so check its rating for the expected foot traffic, castors and heavy items. Our finishes then add the wear performance, for example cork and engineered oak carry commercial use-class and 25,000-cycle castor-chair ratings, laid over a rigid, correctly graded access floor.
Which floor is best over a raised access floor?
For offices and areas where panels must stay accessible, a floating click floor such as Vermont works well. Where a bonded finish is acceptable, engineered oak, cork or end-grain give a premium, durable surface, and Organic resilient suits a thin, hard-wearing build-up. We will match the range to your access, acoustic and traffic needs.
Specifying a floor over a raised access system? Send us your RAF details and we will recommend the range and fixing method, or explore the specifier hub, slip resistance and technical downloads.