Raised Access Floor FAQs

About product selection

Is there any difference between a "Raised Access Floor" and a "Free Access Floor"?

There is no difference in performance or functionality.

Generally, a "free access floor" is a general term for a double-layered structure in which various cables, outlets, etc. are stored within the floor, and space is provided underneath to allow wiring to be freely extracted above the floor.
"Raised Access Floor" refers to a type of free access floor that is used specifically in offices and other work spaces (such as clerical rooms).

Furthermore, KYODO KY-TEC proudly offers a selection of products that are particularly suited to office spaces, and therefore introduces them to customers under the name "Raised Access Floor."
Of course, this product can also be used in other spaces without any problems.

What is a Raised Access Floor?

What types of raised floors are there?
Also, what material should you choose for the raised floor?

Free access floors are broadly divided into three types, and their main materials and features are as follows:

Specification comparison

• 

  Made of concreteA・Laying mat type

  Concrete (network floor) is...
  Although it is somewhat heavy, it is durable, easy to wire, and provides the same comfortable walking feel as a normal floor.

• 

  Made of plasticB. Laying type

  Plastic ones...
  It is lightweight and puts little strain on the building, but it has the unreliable feel that is characteristic of plastic, and it has some shortcomings in terms of durability and fire resistance.

• 

  Made of steelC・Height adjustable pedestal type

  Steel is...
  The level can be adjusted and there is a lot of space for wiring, but there are some issues with a hollow popping sound and future rattles.

It is becoming commonplace for each person to have more than one computer, and an increase in cables is expected.
Should offices have raised access floors?

When selecting a Raised Access Floor, it is important to pay attention not to the floor height but to the effective wiring height. The Network Floor has a slim design, but the panels are only 4mm thick, allowing for a large effective wiring height, so it can accommodate a normal office with ample space. Furthermore, by utilizing the Feed-in Mat N (inlet and trunk lines), it has a larger wiring capacity than other companies' Raised Access Floors.

Effective wiring height comparison chart

Feed-in Mat 40N

This photo alone shows the amount of wiring equivalent to the LAN wiring for up to 233 devices.

If you need a high-floor, wobble-free raised access floor, check out these products:

• High-steel
• Quadfix 600

Is it possible to install the floor seismic isolation system and the Raised Access Floor together?
What is the finished floor height?

We have a low-floor seismic isolation system that combines a seismic isolation system manufactured by Japan Land Development Corporation with a network floor of Raised Access Floor made from ultra-high strength lightweight concrete.
Even when a network floor is introduced in addition to the bearings and frames that make up the floor seismic isolation, the lowest finished floor height is 190mm.
This is a seismic isolation system that comes in a set with a Raised Access Floor, and is the only product with a finished floor height of 200mm or less.
Another major advantage is that there are no maintenance costs after installation.

Is it possible to install a Raised Access Floor while large fixtures remain installed?

With a low-floor Raised Access Floor network floor, there is no problem with opening and closing fixture doors, so the Raised Access Floor can be used while leaving large fixtures in place.
The height of the fixture base for cabinets and other fixtures is approximately 50 to 70 mm.
The floor height of the network floor is H29mm and H40mm, so even if the finishing tile carpet (approximately 7mm) is installed, it will fit within H50mm, so there will be no problem in opening and closing the door.

• Network Floor 29 (including carpet tiles) Finished height H36mm
• Network Floor 40 (including carpet tiles) Finished height H47mm

When renovating an office that is equipped with sprinklers, what should I pay attention to in order to install a raised access floor without violating fire safety regulations?

Please be aware of the floor height of the Raised Access Floor.
According to the Fire Service Act, no furniture or other items may be placed within 45cm below a sprinkler head or within 30cm horizontally.
When a raised access floor is installed, the floor will be raised, and bookshelves that could previously be placed there may no longer be available. This is particularly important in offices where movable bookshelves are installed.
If you are introducing a raised access floor during renovations, we recommend a low-floor raised access floor.

Specifications and performance

What should I do if I experience issues after adopting a network floor?

Network Floors are designed to follow any unevenness in the floor, so there is no wobbling. No maintenance is required, so there are no costs involved, so you can rest assured. Some panel-type Raised Access Floors may gradually become wobble, requiring periodic level adjustments and panel replacement.

Network Floor Product Information

However, even among panel types, there are some that completely fix the four corners of the panel.Quadfix 600If you have any problems, you can also use the following services.

Replacement/relocation/expansion/repair of raised access floors

Will the feeling of walking around change when a network floor is installed in an office?

The feeling of walking on it is the same as walking on a normal floor. The flexible concrete mat is designed to conform to the unevenness of the floor, so there is absolutely no hollow noise or rattle.

Are there any standards for judging the performance of a raised floor?

Public Buildings Association quality performance evaluation product
Evaluation report There are two standards for objectively certifying the performance of raised floors: the Public Buildings Association Quality Performance Evaluation and the JAFA Certification Evaluation. When selecting a raised floor, it is safest to choose one that meets these evaluation criteria.
◆Public Buildings Association Quality Performance Evaluation Product
　Network Floor, High-steel, Quadfix 600
◆JAFA certified product
　Network Floor, High-steel, Quadfix 600

Is there a warranty period for raised floors?

Many manufacturers do not offer product warranties, but some do offer a warranty of 1-2 years. Since floors are subject to heavy loads and carts being driven over for long periods of time, it is important to choose a product with as long a warranty as possible.
Network Floor and High-steel are backed by a reassuring 10-year warranty.

Cost Benefits

If I change the layout after adopting the network floor, is it easy to set up the wiring etc?
Also, will there be any additional costs?

There are almost no wiring maintenance costs (layout change costs) because office staff can remove the wiring and add or relocate outlets themselves.

Are there any benefits to adopting a network floor in a new building?

We have a proven track record in many new construction projects, and the benefits we have heard from customers who have actually used our system are as follows:

1. Lowering the floor height reduces the construction costs of the building (Reference:Please see the cost reduction calculation example.)
2. High ceilings ensure an open space
3. Maintains the same comfortable walking sensation as a normal floor
4. Easy wiring and easy wiring management

Is any maintenance required after installation?

You do not need.
Some panel-type double-layered structures gradually become wobbly and require regular level adjustments, but network floors do not wobble and require no maintenance, so there are no costs involved.
However, the four corners of the panel must be completely fixed.Quadfix 600This will completely prevent any wobbling.

Are there any advantages to a low-floor design?

There are many benefits.
With a low-floor network floor, you will hardly feel any pressure from the entrance ramp or ceiling, and it also complies with the Barrier-Free Act for the elderly and people with disabilities.

Regarding construction other than the Raised Access Floor

We are considering installing a raised access floor in our office, but can it be installed over a weekend?

Don't worry, you can transform your office into a new one with weekend construction (Friday night to Sunday night). Network Floor is designed to blend in with the floor, so you can install it in just one day, covering approximately 1m².²We can handle the entire process, including construction of raised access floors.

Renovation schedule for currently used offices

Schedule	Time/Business details
Friday	[From 18:00] Remove existing wiring, remove furniture, office equipment, and documents
Saturday	[7:00-8:30] Network floor and tile carpet delivery [8:30-15:00] Network floor construction [13:00-17:00] Wiring work (electricity, telephone, information)
Sunday	[7:30-13:00] Tile carpet installation [13:00-19:00] Furniture, office equipment, and document delivery and installation [15:00-19:00] Power, telephone and information line extraction, power strip installation, computer adjustment

Network Floor Product Information

Is it possible to install partitions above the raised access floor?

For low-floor network floors, it can be easily fixed directly to the floor slab from the raised access floor. Furthermore, if you want to separate tenants for security reasons, the wiring grooves can be easily filled with putty or sealed with partition boards. Compared to double-layered structures, it is cheaper and faster to install.

How to separate the underfloor space

• When sealing with putty
• When blocking with a partition

I would like to secure fixtures (such as bookcases) in an earthquake-resistant manner, but is it possible to do so from above the raised access floor?

Network Floors are made of ultra-high-strength lightweight concrete, which makes them strong and low-floor, so you can easily use grip anchors to secure the raised access floor directly to the floor slab, providing peace of mind. Preventing furniture from falling over is the top priority for ensuring office safety, so choosing a raised access floor that can be easily secured is important.

Wiring management

What types of outlets are available? Are there any differences in performance?

Broadly speaking, there are two types: in-floor connection types and types that can be connected in-floor and taken out above the floor.
The in-floor connection type does not extend above the floor at all, so you can run the wiring from anywhere using a power strip, etc. The dual-use type allows you to take the wiring directly out to the floor from the outlet cover.

• (dual-use type)
• (In-floor connection type)

If you are not familiar with wiring in the floor, you may not realize that the connection is not secure. The outlet has a "misconnection prevention structure" that prevents the cover of the Raised Access Floor from closing if the connection is not secure, so you can rest assured.

Due to frequent layout changes, it has become impossible to remember which cables are connected to which office equipment or telephones. What is the best way to manage them?

First, create a diagram of your current office layout.
The best thing to do is to write down the telephone control numbers and the control numbers of the office equipment. It's a basic task, but the key is that it should be clear to anyone at a glance, and the more frequently the layout of an office changes, the more important it is to keep this control sheet up to date.
Another key point is to choose a raised access floor, which makes it easy to manage wiring.

After changing the layout, I now have no power outlet next to my desk, which is causing me trouble.
It's not possible to freely change the layout, so what do you do?

Until now, construction work has often been done by installing the minimum number of outlets necessary after deciding on the fixture layout. This means that every time the layout is changed or the number of employees increases, costs are incurred for installing new wiring and disposing of unnecessary wiring.
We recommend a pre-wiring system that eliminates unnecessary costs. By considering the maximum number of people you can expect to work in your office, you can install power outlets in specific zones in advance, and then use power strips to freely install power wherever you need it.
However, to achieve this, it is essential to select a raised access floor with many wiring outlets.

What is the KY-TEC wiring system?
The method of pre-wiring the economical power wiring and LAN wiring, along with Raised Access Floor's long-selling product Network Floor, is called "KY-TEC Wiring."

There are a lot of exposed wiring cables on the office floor, which is dangerous and unsightly.
How can I clean up this pile of cables?

Offices require a lot of cables. It can be quite a hassle if all of those cables are exposed on the floor. Not only does it ruin the aesthetic look of the office, but it also poses the risk of tripping and the loss of valuable data if the power goes out. Raised Access Floors are the ideal solution to this problem of exposed cabling. There are many types, but for a typical office, raised access floors are preferred as they are low-floor types that do not affect the ceiling height and have a large wiring capacity.