---
title: "Floor finish, wall cladding, floor finishing materials"
subject: "Building Technology"
chapter: 7
key: "semester_6/building_technology:floor-finish-wall-cladding"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/building_technology/floor-finish-wall-cladding
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Floor finish, wall cladding, floor finishing materials

Building Technology · Chapter 7: Flooring

- Asked in: 2075 Bhadra, 6 marks
- Video: [Types of floor finishing Materials|Beautiful designs for floors|Types of flooring](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS_hu3RBmcg) — Civillogy (Study of Civil Engineering)
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/building_technology/floor-finish-wall-cladding
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_6/building_technology/chapter-7

## Question

What do you mean by floor finished and wall cladding? Mention some common floor finishing materials.

## Short answer

Floor finish is the top layer of a floor, giving a hard, durable, attractive surface. Wall cladding is a non-structural covering fixed to walls for decoration, weather protection and insulation. Common floor finishing materials include cement concrete, terrazzo, marble, granite, ceramic/vitrified tiles, timber, PVC, vinyl, rubber, linoleum and carpet.

## Answer

#### Floor finish
The **floor finish** is the top layer of a floor, laid over the base concrete or slab, to give a hard, smooth, durable and attractive surface that resists wear and is easy to clean.

#### Wall cladding
**Wall cladding** is a non-structural covering of stone, tile, brick, timber, metal or glass fixed to the face of a wall (inside or outside) for decoration, protection from weather and sometimes for thermal and sound insulation. It does not carry the building load.

#### Common floor finishing materials
- Cement concrete / cement punning.
- Terrazzo and mosaic.
- Marble, granite, slate, kota stone.
- Ceramic and vitrified tiles.
- Timber boards, parquet.
- PVC, vinyl, rubber, linoleum.
- Carpet.
- Brick and mud (low-cost floors).

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What is a floor finish?
   A. The structural slab that carries the floor load
   B. The top layer laid over the base concrete to give a hard, smooth, durable surface
   C. The damp-proof layer below the slab
   D. The plaster applied on the ceiling
   Answer: B. A floor finish is the top layer over the base concrete or slab, giving a durable, wear-resistant and easy-to-clean surface. (Key point: Floor finish meaning)

2. Which statement about wall cladding is correct?
   A. It is the main load-bearing part of the wall
   B. It must be made of timber only
   C. It is a non-structural covering that does not carry the building load
   D. It is used only on the inside of walls
   Answer: C. Cladding is a covering for decoration, weather protection and sometimes insulation; it carries no building load and can be fixed inside or outside. (Key point: Wall cladding is non-structural)

3. Which of the following is NOT a common floor finishing material?
   A. Terrazzo
   B. Vitrified tiles
   C. Linoleum
   D. Structural steel I-beam
   Answer: D. Terrazzo, tiles and linoleum are floor finishes; a steel I-beam is a structural member. (Key point: Floor finishing materials)

## Related in Building Technology

- [Flooring and its types; special floor finish](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Aflooring-types-special) — Building Technology, chapter 7
- [Ground floor with mosaic tiling and external wall](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Amosaic-ground-floor-wall) — Building Technology, chapter 7
- [Short note: Floor and wall tiles](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Afloor-wall-tiles) — Building Technology, chapter 7
- [Tile hanging versus stone cladding](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Atile-hanging-stone-cladding) — Building Technology, chapter 9
- [Basement floor and its waterproofing](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Abasement-waterproofing) — Building Technology, chapter 1, asked 2×

## Related in other subjects

- [Materials: 115 m² PCC floor, 110 m² plaster](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Festimating_and_costing%3Amaterials-pcc-floor-plaster-i) — Estimating and Costing, chapter 4, asked 2×
- [Materials: 75 m³ brick 1:3, 115 m² PCC floor](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Festimating_and_costing%3Amaterials-brick-75m3-pcc-floor) — Estimating and Costing, chapter 4
- [Materials for brick wall, two windows 1.5 m](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Festimating_and_costing%3Amaterials-brick-wall-windows-1-5) — Estimating and Costing, chapter 4
- [Materials for 100 m brick wall 1:6](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Festimating_and_costing%3Amaterials-brick-wall-100m) — Estimating and Costing, chapter 4