Raised Flooring System

A raised floor (also raised flooring) is a type of floor used in office buildings (such as IT data centers) with a high requirement for servicing to carry cables, wiring, electrical supply, and sometimes air conditioning or chilled water pipes. Additional structural support and lighting are often provided when a floor is raised enough for a person to crawl or even walk beneath. This type of floor consists of a gridded metal framework or understructure of adjustable-height legs (called "pedestals") that provide support for individual floor panels, which are usually 2×2 feet or 60×60cm in size. The height of the legs/pedestals is dictated by the volume of cables and other services provided beneath, but typically arranged for a clearance of at least six inches or 15cm. 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 antistatic finishes for use in computer rooms and laboratories.