How to make a podium in a room?

The podium is part of the floor raised to a height of 20-50 cm, a kind of "scene" that can perform a variety of functions. Why do designers use the podium when planning interiors?

• 
  the podium helps to divide the room into zones;
• 
  podium allows you to adjust the unfortunate proportions of the room;
• 
  space under the podium can be used to store various things.
  

If you decide to make a podium, it's worth taking into account several important points. First of all, you need to decide on the height and location of the podium. The height depends on the purpose of the podium and the height of the ceilings in the apartment. And its location should be such that it does not interfere with anyone.

Then you need to choose the type of podium. Depending on the purpose, decorative and technical podiums are made. Decorative podiums serve to zoning the room and transforming the space. Technical Runways conceal building structures and utilities.

According to the design podiums are monolithic and frame. Monolithic podiums Are made with use of cement-sandy screed or concrete on wet technology. Skeleton podium is a frame (metal or wooden), trimmed with a blackboard or slab material.

If you decide to make a podium monolithic type, please note that it creates heavy load on floors. In addition, you can not use space under the monolithic catwalk - it will be continuous. But the monolithic podium is hard, waterproof and durable.

Skeleton podium is more light and functional(it allows you to use a niche under the podium), but because of its ease, its design is less reliable. Therefore, deciding to make a podium frame type, you need to take care of that to impart its structure additional rigidity.

To make a podium based on the skeleton, you first need dismantle an old floor covering. In principle, this procedure is not necessary, but if you are fundamentally important load on the floor, it is better to remove the old coating.

Then the skeleton of the podium is made. For the frame is usually used a wooden beam, section thickness which depends on the expected load on theoverlap and height of the podium. The load depends on the planned weight of the podium and the possible load on the podium itself. The total load must not exceed the permissible distributed load for standard apartments (usually 400-800 kg / m²).

The logs are installed at right angles to each other and fixed with nails. The section of lags corresponds to the height of the ascent, installation step usually 40 cm. You can also make a podium on adjustable lags or on a metal frame.

Having made a skeleton, you need to trim the podium with slab material. Usually for these purposes waterproofplywood with a thickness of 16-18 mm, OSB-plates (oriented chipboard), gypsum-fiber sheets or a rough board. To give the structure additional rigidity, they are laid in two layers. If the sheets and plates are too large, they need to cut into smaller pieces (but do not overdo it, the minimum size is 60x60 cm). When laying, you need to leave seams between the sheets to compensate for the deformation.

For additional sound insulation It is necessary to lay under the logs and supports a mineral wool insulation or sound-absorbing tape made of foamed polyethylene or rubber.

Laying down a pavement on the pavement, you can start decorating. Usually as a finishing flooring there is a linoleum, carpet, a massive board,parquet or tile. And you can simply paint the podium without laying the finish coat. If you decide to make a podium covered with parquet, you need to first lay a sheet of plywood on a carefully leveled screed, and then lay parquet or pave a parquet board.

As you can see, make the podium yourself not so difficult - there would be a desire.