Hospitals are busy places with a lot of people and staff going in and out and plenty of medical procedures performed during the day. For that reason, hospital flooring has to be able to withstand all the traffic, the pressure from the beds and machines and to be waterproof and easy to clean. Don’t forget that aesthetics is just as important. Hospitals in general need to represent a warm and safe environment for the patients.
Vinyl Flooring for Easy Maintenance
Vinyl is a synthetic material consisted of polyvinyl chloride and other polymers and resins. Many people know vinyl by the vinyl records that were once used to play music. They still exist and can be bought today and many people even collect them.
Despite for records, vinyl is popular as a material for flooring too, mostly because vinyl flooring for hospitals is high-quality, durable and versatile. When choosing flooring for a healthcare environment, in particular, vinyl has to be your number one choice. With only 2mm in thickness, vinyl flooring is able to withstand high amounts of pressure, weight and traffic which are all very common in hospitals.
Before installation the subfloor needs to be completely dry and inspected, then a suitable adhesive is being applied and on top of that goes the vinyl floor. Vinyl flooring for hospitals is even suitable to use on top of underfloor heating as long as the heating temperature doesn’t pass 27 degrees.
Once you install the hospital vinyl flooring rest assured that it will last a lifetime no matter the circumstances it is exposed to. With this, you also save up a lot of money that otherwise would have been spent on floor maintenance and repairs.
When choosing the right vinyl flooring for hospitals you can opt for one made out of recycled materials that’s 100% recyclable. Most vinyl floors are made following all the required safety regulations and are waterproof, abrasion-resistant, fire-resistant, have high chemical resistance and reduce sounds meaning they act as isolation too.
As per cleaning, hospital flooring vinyl is super easy to maintain and keep hygienic at all times. You can use standard floor cleaners and disinfectants, but you can also steam clean the vinyl floor from time to time without it suffering any damage at all. And of course, vinyl floors are slip-resistant too which is perfect for hospitals because it can get quite messy sometimes.
Premium Rubber Flooring for Easy Installation
A good alternative to the vinyl flooring is the premium rubber floor which is used in hospitals just as much. Similarly to the vinyl floor, the rubber floor is budget-friendly, it’s very easy to install and maintain, has great isolation properties and will last for quite some time with the proper care.
Rubber flooring can vary in thickness and the right thickness can be picked according to the room in which it’ll be placed. For example, waiting rooms and entry halls are the places that suffer the most traffic so it will be best if thicker rubber flooring is placed there. Thinner rubber flooring can be placed in patients’ rooms, nurses and doctors’ rooms and operating rooms.
The rubber flooring is the choice of many when it comes to hospital facilities because it is very low maintenance and hygienic. Let’s face it. Carpet flooring would be the worst option for a hospital room and ceramic tiles or wooden floors would turn out too expensive having in mind the enormous surface that needs to be covered.
Many rubber floors have an additional top layer that is bacteria resistant and suffers little to no damage over time leaving no space for bacteria or dirt to accumulate. Rubber is also very pleasant to walk on so it will be perfect for the medical stuff too.
Linoleum Floor with Antimicrobial Properties
Linoleum flooring belongs to the group of eco-friendly and budget-friendly flooring options suitable for healthcare environments. It’s not a new invention rather an old one but it’s popular even today because of its features.
Linoleum is a very resilient and long-lasting material that feels very pleasant on the feet when walking on it since it creates a bounce back experience and a soft cushion-like effect. That soft feature makes it easily foldable, almost like cloth. Linoleum can be found in sheets or tiles but both are very easy to install. It is made from natural materials that are also renewable and include cork powder, linseed oil, pine resins and wood flour. That means that linoleum is also biodegradable.
Additional substances can be added to the mix in order to make the linoleum floor harder and stronger than it usually is. For additional protection, a coating or layer can be applied on top of the linoleum floor, and this is especially recommended for hospitals since it enhances the waterproof feature.
The Design of the Flooring has to be Warm and Homey
All of the previously mentioned flooring types come in many bright and happy colours as well as vibrant and contemporary designs. When choosing the right hospital flooring design, colour and style you have to take into consideration the impact that the floor and the whole ambient will have on the patients.
The overall design of hospitals needs to have a positive, warm and homey effect on patients. Many studies have shown that the environment can play a major role in the faster healing and recovering of patients and their overall mood while they’re in the hospital.
Take children’s hospitals for example. It is best if you choose the flooring that has an interesting and colourful design, maybe with some kind of print that will make the whole room seem welcoming and suitable for little kids.
Despite for patients, the right design and style can have a positive impact on the employees too. Take into consideration that healthcare workers have long shifts and they spend many hours in hospital rooms taking care of patients and performing procedures. The right design can elevate their mood too and boost their performance.
