A-60 Floating Floor Systems for Ships
An A-60 floating floor is a fire-rated floor build-up installed on top of a ship’s steel deck that upgrades the deck to an A-60 class division — able to withstand a 60-minute standard fire test while keeping the unexposed side within SOLAS temperature limits. Non-combustible insulation, a decoupled floating layer and an IMO-approved deck covering, tested and type-approved as one system.
This guide explains when SOLAS requires an A-60 deck, how the build-up works layer by layer, what the certificates must say — and which certified systems Trivaro supplies to shipyards and outfitters across the EU.
What Makes a Floor A-60
A-60 is a property of the complete division — steel deck plus everything built on it — proven in a standard fire test. These are the six things the rating actually requires, and what a specifier should check.
60-minute integrity
An ‘A’ class division must prevent the passage of smoke and flame for a full one-hour standard fire test — the steel deck provides the structural integrity, the build-up protects it.
Temperature-rise limits
For A-60, the unexposed side may not rise more than 139°C on average — or 180°C at any single point — for 60 minutes. This is what the insulation layer is sized to achieve.
Non-combustible layers
Every structural layer of the build-up — insulation slabs, screeds, plates — must be of approved non-combustible material. Only the thin approved deck covering on top may be organic.
Tested as a system
The fire test (2010 FTP Code) is run on the complete build-up. The type-approval certificate names the exact layer sequence — swap one component and the approval no longer applies.
Approved deck covering
The walking surface is an IMO-approved primary deck covering (FTP Code Part 5) — low flame spread, low smoke and toxicity — with the visible finish approved on top of it.
Acoustic decoupling
The floating layer rests on the insulation without rigid contact to steel or bulkheads — a mass-spring system that cuts structure-borne noise while delivering the fire rating.
The Build-Up, Layer by Layer
Every certified A-60 floating floor follows the same logic from the steel plate up. The exact materials and thicknesses come from the type-approval — this is the sequence you are approving.
1 — Steel deck & corrosion protection
The structural division itself. Cleaned and primed — shop primer or an approved anti-corrosive system — before any build-up goes down.
2 — Non-combustible insulation
Mineral wool slabs or a lightweight insulating screed, dimensioned so the unexposed side stays within the A-60 temperature-rise limits for 60 minutes. What each option weighs: weight & build-up guide.
3 — Floating load-distribution layer
A mineral screed or dry floor plate that spreads foot and furniture loads — decoupled from steel and bulkheads by perimeter strips, so it “floats” on the insulation.
4 — Optional visco-elastic damping
Where cabin comfort standards demand it, a visco-elastic layer inside the build-up increases structure-borne noise reduction without touching the fire rating of the approved system — the full picture is in the acoustics guide.
5 — Primary deck covering
The IMO FTP Code Part 5 approved layer — levelling and finishing compound rated for direct application within the system.
6 — Visible finish
IMO-approved vinyl, carpet, linoleum or deck finish (FTP Code Part 2) — chosen per zone from the marine flooring range.
From steel deck to finish
A-60 Systems We Supply — GTF Freese, Engineered in Germany
Trivaro supplies the certified GTF Freese marine deck systems across the EU — floating floor insulation, mineral screeds and damping layers with the type-approval and MED documentation your Class surveyor expects. How they sit among the European manufacturers and system families.
TEFROLITH FF-STEEL — A-60 Floating Floor
- What: the core A-60 floating floor system for steel decks
- Where: accommodation and service decks over machinery, galleys and other high-risk spaces
- Earns: the 60-minute rating and acoustic decoupling in one certified build-up
TEFROLITH Insulating Screeds
- What: lightweight insulating screed systems — TEFROLITH FTG-35, TEFROLITH M
- Where: weight-critical newbuilds and refits where every kg/m² counts
- Earns: fire insulation with substantially less mass than classic slab constructions
TEFROTEX Mineral Screeds
- What: pumpable marine mineral screeds — TEFROTEX 60, 100 and 500 P — for levelling and load distribution
- Where: the floating layer over insulation, and deck fairing before coverings
- Earns: fast, pumpable application over large deck areas
Specify an A-60 Floating Floor with Trivaro
A short brief is enough for a complete proposal. Every project is quoted on the vessel, zones and rating it actually needs — no generic price list.
Share the vessel & zones
Vessel type and classification society, the deck areas (m²) and required divisions (A-60/A-30/A-0), plus any weight or height limits and acoustic targets. Drawings help but are not required to start.
We match the certified system
A recommended build-up per zone — insulation, screed, damping and approved finish — with the type-approval references, certified weights and thicknesses from the datasheets, and the compliance documentation for your specification file.
Quotation & delivery
Quantities per zone, lead times and a B2B quotation, delivered to shipyards and outfitters across the EU from our Estonian hub — with the full certificate package included as standard.
Related Reading
The guides and product ranges behind an A-60 deck specification.
A-60 vs B-15↗
The SOLAS fire-division classes decoded — integrity times, insulation limits and where each rating is required.
IMO/MED certification↗
FTP Code parts, wheelmark, Module B+D and the documentation package — in plain English.
Marine flooring systems↗
The complete deck build-up picture, zone by zone, from bare steel to finished floor.
Marine deck coverings↗
The GTF Freese catalogue — insulating systems, mineral screeds, polymer coatings and primers.
A-60 Floating Floors — Frequently Asked Questions
What shipyard specifiers, naval architects and outfitters ask when scoping a fire-rated deck build-up.
01 What is an A-60 floating floor?
An A-60 floating floor is a fire-rated floor build-up installed on top of a ship’s steel deck that upgrades the deck to an A-60 class division — able to withstand a 60-minute standard fire test while keeping the temperature rise on the unexposed side within SOLAS limits (139°C average / 180°C at any point). The build-up combines non-combustible insulation with a decoupled floating layer and an IMO-approved deck covering, tested and type-approved as a complete system. Because the floating layer is mechanically decoupled from the steel, the same construction also reduces structure-borne noise.
02 When does SOLAS require an A-60 deck?
SOLAS Chapter II-2 assigns division ratings to the boundaries between adjacent spaces based on fire risk — the tables in Regulation 9 define which deck between which space categories must be A-60, A-30, A-15 or A-0. A-60 is typically required where high-risk spaces (machinery, galleys, cargo) border accommodation or control stations. Whether the rating is achieved by insulating under the deck or by a floating floor on top is an outfitting decision — the floating floor route wins when the underside is inaccessible or when acoustics matter.
03 How does the build-up work, layer by layer?
From the steel plate up: primer, a non-combustible insulating layer (mineral wool or lightweight insulating screed sized for the 60-minute limit), a floating load-distribution layer decoupled by perimeter strips, an optional visco-elastic damping layer, then the IMO-approved primary deck covering and the visible finish. Every layer must match the type-approved system exactly — substituting any component invalidates the approval.
04 How much weight does an A-60 floating floor add?
System-dependent. Classic mineral-wool-plus-screed constructions are the heaviest; modern lightweight insulating screed systems (like TEFROLITH FTG-35) cut the mass substantially, which is why they dominate refits and weight-critical newbuilds. Certified weights and thicknesses are stated per system in the type-approval documentation — we quote datasheet figures, not estimates.
05 Does a floating floor reduce noise on a ship?
Yes — it is the second reason the construction exists. The decoupled floating layer forms a mass-spring system that interrupts structure-borne sound from machinery and impact noise from foot traffic; visco-elastic damping layers raise the performance further where comfort-class targets demand it. The achievable improvement is system-dependent — measured acoustic test reports are available for the systems we supply.
06 What certificates should an A-60 floating floor have?
Four things: the type-approval certificate of the complete build-up (DNV, Lloyd’s Register, Bureau Veritas or RINA, referencing the FTP Code fire test), the MED wheelmark certificate with Notified Body number where MED applies, the FTP Code Part 5 approval for the primary deck covering, and the EU Declaration of Conformity per shipment. The certificate names the exact layer sequence — verify your build-up matches it line by line. The full walkthrough is in our IMO/MED certification guide.
Need an A-60 Deck Specified?
Trivaro supplies certified A-60 floating floor systems — GTF Freese insulation, screeds and damping layers plus IMO-approved finishes — to shipyards, owners and outfitters across the EU, with the complete type-approval and MED documentation package included as standard.
Send your vessel type, deck areas, required divisions and any weight or acoustic targets — we respond with a certified system per zone, datasheet figures and a B2B quotation.
