Analysis of effectiveness of wooden floor finishes in some residential buildings in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

PurposeWood is one of the materials that is used for building construction either as structural member or as finishes from ages past to contemporary generation. It is composed of elongated, hollow spindle shaped cells that are arranged parallel to each other along the trunk of a tree. The resistance to water, chemicals, strength properties, appearance and decay rate is dictated by the fibrous cells. The purpose of this paper was to examine the application and use of wooden floor finish (an extract from wood) in residential buildings in Lagos, Nigeria, with a view to determine its effectiveness.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a dual stage survey approach before the administration of questionnaire on 100 respondents that were selected through purposive sampling after the initial inquiry on the use of the material from 384 randomly selected samples from the entire population.FindingsThe study shows that the material is applied in all interior spaces except bathrooms and toilets. Minimal adoption is also seen in the kitchen area. Users indicate that wooden floor finish requires little maintenance, has low impact on users' health, considered safe-minimal occurrence of home accidents is recorded, has moderate thermal insulation and affordable.Practical implicationsThe usage has impact on the environment due to continuous lumbering activities and lack of adequate plan for reforestation. This suggests that its sustainability depends on afforestation programmes. Its poor performance in sound insulation, water and fire resistance requires further attention. The maintenance is relatively easy and affordable.Originality/valueThe author made a new foray into investigating the performance of wooden floor finish due to its resurgence in the area bearing in mind the unseasoned condition of wood in circulation in the area. Previous adoptions were done by a less aggressive generation of well-trained artisans. Best places for its usage within the interior spaces are identified.

The Effects of Wooden Furniture Color, Floor Material, and Age on Design Evaluation, Visual Attention, and Emotions in Office Environments

“…Additionally, a qualitative study found that wood flooring is used for aesthetic reasons or for the beauty of the room, and workspaces with natural wood grain look more natural [12]. Wood floor finishes create a sense of spaciousness and add aesthetic value to the interior space of buildings [43]. In a survey, 88% of respondents answered that the color of furniture has a significant impact on our lives [5].…”

“…Older adults expressed fear of tile floors, as mentioned earlier, mainly due to the fear of falling associated with tile floors. Wooden floors are considered safe and healthy, with the lowest incidence of household accidents [43]. Healthy older adults take twice as long as young people to get up, while older people in congregate housing take two to three times as long [53].…”

Assessment of sandcrete hollow blocks’ thermal performance as a walling material for tropical buildings in Lokoja, Nigeria

“…The influx of Ordinary Portland Cements into the country after independence in 1960 encouraged the use of sandcrete hollow blocks as building materials improved techniques. Research had shown that people spent about 80-90% of their time indoor environment, whether at home or in public buildings (Sujanova et al, 2019) as cited in Nusrat et al (2020) and buttressed by Lebrasseur et al (2019) cited in Folorunso (2020). Given the foregoing, the in-depth study of the thermal performance of sandcrete hollow blocks as a walling material to provide an acceptable indoor thermal comfort for tropical buildings in Lokoja cannot be overemphasized.…”