Dissembling a raised floor is a vital if you are ever installing any type of wiring or repairing heating systems under your floor. A raised floor is a type of flooring system which was perfected for use in offices and is now commonly used in lots of modern homes.
A raised floor is a type of flooring which is raised over the top of the original floor. This is done by using a frame and stands to jack the flooring up off the surface. A raised floor is commonly used to make running new cables and maintaining existing cables and pipes much easier.
Disassembling a raised floor is actually very easy if you follow a few simple tips and you have the right tools and materials available.
What You'll Need- Screwdriver
- Wrench
- Level
Step 1 - Removing Floor Covering
If you have a floor covering on top of the raised floor tiles, then the first thing you need to do is remove it. Raised floors don't have to look any different to normal floors because they can be covered in a variety of different materials. If you have carpets, laminate floors, or tiles over the top of the raised floor then these will need to be lifted up.
Step 2 - Removing Raised Floor Panels
The raised floor is made up of a series of frames which are fixed together on the floor. These have their own feet and stand on the floor very happily. Their job is to hold a small removable floor panel which can be lifted up when needed. If you are installing a new cable then try to lift up the sections of floor that you actually want to work on. Although it is possible to lift up the entire floor, you won't have anywhere else to work from.
Step 3 - Removing the Frame
If there has been any damage to the frame or if the legs need readjusting then you can remove it from the frame. The individual frames are typically bolted together, once the bolts are removed you can then lift the small frame out. Adjusting the legs is very easy and this can be done to make the floor level on any surface. Using a spirit level you can check whether or not the legs need adjusting.
Step 4 - Running New Wires
The wires or pipes can now be run in between the real floor and your raised floor. This creates an extra cavity which is much easier to access than your crawl space. Make sure you don't accidentally pinch any of the wires though as this could cause damage.
Step 5 - Re-assembly
Re-assembling your raised floor is also very easy. This can be done by bolting the frames back together and then simply dropping the panels back on top. If any of these panels are damaged then they might need to be replaced. The floor covering can then be replaced over the top, and nobody should be any the wiser that you've taken your entire floor up.
Source: www.DoItYourself.com
