What Is Computer Raised Access Floor?

By Author: Todd Cogan
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What is Computer Raised Access Floor?

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Computer Floor (also referred to as raised access floor, computer room floor, computer room raised floor, and raised computer floor) is a elevated floor area upon another floor (typically a concrete slab in a building). Computer Raised Flooring has been used in commercial and educational applications worldwide since the mid 1960's. This computer floor consists of either US Imperial Size of 24" x 24" or Metric Size of 600mm x 600 mm raised access floor panels, generally manufactured with steel sheets, welded construction filled with lightweight cement or wood to provide a strong, quiet accessible floor structure, that are supported by adjustable understructure support pedestals. The space between the computer floor and the slab allow you to cost-effectively run any of your building services, including electric power, data, telecom/voice, environmental control and air conditioning, fire detection and suppression, ...
... security and so on. Removable raised computer floor panels make it fast and easy to reach under computer floor systems.

Raised Computer Floor Systems can be placed in virtually any application, such as:

Computer Rooms
Telecom Rooms
Data Centers
General offices
Auditoriums
Conference rooms
Training Facilities
Laboratories
Equipment rooms
Clean Rooms
Cafeterias / Break rooms
Office Areas
Storage areas
Lobby / Reception areas

To remove Computer Raised Access Floor panels, a tool with a suction cup/s on the end (referred to as a "floor puller", "tile lifter", or "suction lifter") is used. A hook-and-loop lifter may be used on Computer Raised Access Floor Airflow or carpeted panels.

Structural problems are a serious threat to both equipment and personnel on a Computer Raised Access Floor. Problems such as rocking panels, gaps between panels, and de-lamination can cause permanent damage to a floor system, personnel injuries, and damage to equipment. Regular panel and under-floor inspections for structural integrity of a raised floor system should be carried out. Various servicing in and around a Computer Raised Access Floor can disturb the floor understructure creating structural hazards. Supporting floor understructure should be inspected at least once a year.
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