What Is the Best Hospital Flooring?

Source: allthingsflooring.com

When it comes to flooring for hospitals, material matters. Different operational areas in a hospital will have different healthcare flooring performance and different quality requirements. In order to make the right choice, it’s important to take all these requirements into account. Fortunately, there are various great flooring materials for hospitals available. In addition, we’re going to check in more detail the hospital flooring requirements and one of the best hospital floor options. 

Hospital Flooring Requirements

As hospitals receive thousands of patients a day, they require quality floors which can withstand heavy foot traffic while creating an aesthetically pleasing environment. From a planning point of view, a hospital is a complex unit which consists of entrance areas, corridors, waiting and family rooms, and operating theatres. For all these areas, the chosen hospital floor should provide the following characteristics:

• Durability - to withstand heavy rolling loads;
• Resistance to disinfectants, acids, water; urine and blood;
• Slip resistance - to reduce the risk of slipping and falling;
• Non-porous surface - to resist dirt and to prevent the growth of bacteria;
• Noise absorption - to create a calming and relaxing atmosphere;
• Endurance - to provide stuff comfort to stuff working long shifts; 
• Low VOC emissions - to improve indoor air quality; 
• Aesthetics - to provide an ambience that instils peace, to evoke calmness, and to provide reassurance;

Types of Hospital Flooring

Vinyl Flooring

Source: allthingsflooring.com

Vinyl is often the flooring choice for many modern hospitals, health centres, general practice surgeries, laboratories and care homes. The reason for this is vinyl’s hardwearing, ease of cleaning, and spill-resistant nature. But vinyl also provides all the other hospital requirements, including non-contamination, chemical resistance, stability, reduction of noise levels and vibrations, aesthetics, and it is pretty easy to instal.

There are a few different types of vinyl flooring hospital adequate. The most frequently chosen for hospitals are luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) and vinyl sheets. LVT is a resilient product that requires low maintenance and is built to last. This makes them a popular product in flooring not only for hospitals but also for homes and other types of facilities. As it uses a photographic print process on the tile, it allows for almost endless design possibilities - from classic and timeless, to some more modern designs. LVT includes individual squares of vinyl tiles of different sizes, which when assembled together, give the look of stone tiles (similar to that of marble). The good thing with LVT is that it’s easy to replace or repair. So, when one of the tiles gets damaged, there’s no need to replace the entire floor, but only the damaged tile. 

Wondering what is vinyl sheeting? Vinyl sheets are 4, 5, or 6-foot (around 120, 150, and 180cm) wide and 2-3 millimetre thick rolls. As such, they allow for a minimal number of seams, which can be a key factor when aesthetics is a concern. What makes this type of vinyl flooring hospital suitable is that it can be flash coved, which creates a monolithic and seamless floor that is easy to clean. Sheet vinyl also emulate many natural looks that are calming and reassuring, such as wood and stone.

All in all, both types of flooring are adequate for hospitals' entrance areas, corridors, patients' rooms, nurses' stations and treatment areas. 

Rubber

Source: pinterest.com.au

Rubber floor offers concrete solutions to meet all the requirements of hospital flooring. It is hygienic, easy to maintain, durable, elevates interiors with seamless installation and offers versatile design possibilities. Rubber, with its dense surface structure, delivers strength under pressure and stands up to the toughest hospital conditions without sacrificing style. Rubber floor coverings are also resistant to surface disinfectants and aren’t sensitive to stains. Plus, the short-term exposure to dilute acids, solvents and alkalis also don’t leave lasting traces. A great advantage is that this low-emission rubber flooring guarantees healthy indoor air which is especially important for the sick who have a weak immune system. This is important for the employees of clinics and hospitals as well. Rubber is a great option for entrance areas and corridors, nurses’ stations, patient rooms, and emergency rooms.

Terrazo

Source: terrazzco.com

Terrazzo is a highly durable flooring option that requires minimal maintenance and can last for years and years. It consists of marble, glass, and other aggregates which are joined together in an epoxy binder. Terrazzo is a good choice for hospitals as it stands up well to rolling load, is handicap-friendly, offers anti-slip characteristics, and is available in largely recyclable materials. If it is properly sealed, it is non-porous and resistant to mould. This keeps hospitals sanitary and reduces the risk of infection. These floors are elegant and timeless. Epoxy terrazzo flooring significantly enhances hospital spaces with a wide range of colours, as well as the options to create detailed floor patterns and designs. In hospitals, terrazzo can be mostly found in entrance areas and corridors, but also in nurses’ stations, patient and emergy rooms and restrooms.

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