Rohit Sharma, Resilient Sales manager at Bona – a family-owned company that provides ‘sustainable, high-performance products and systems for resilient flooring in healthcare settings worldwide’, discusses some of the advantages of floor refurbishment over replacement with new flooring in a hospital or other healthcare facility. These, he explains, include less disruption to clinical activity, and ‘a more cost-effective and sustainable solution’.
When the term ‘renovation’ is used in healthcare, the first thought is often of buildings and estates, and the modernisation of existing facilities to reflect the ever-expanding needs of, and demands placed upon, 21st century healthcare spaces. The attributes of renovation over replacement are fully appreciated – from the reduction in costs and wastage, to the reduced impact on the environment. In contrast, however, when attention is turned to improving and enhancing what lies underfoot, replacement flooring has routinely been pegged as the singular route to create a brand new look, and the only way to acquire a better product, while its counterpart – renovation – has somewhat been side-stepped.
Today, however, renovation of flooring delivers greater benefits than a simple likefor-like replacement, and is increasingly being garnered as a popular choice across the sector as a way to successfully obtain a brand new look and a better product, while also being a more environmentally sustainable choice.
Evolving trends
Key flooring trends in the healthcare market indicate the need for product innovation in terms of more effective cleaning and maintenance, more environmentally friendly and sustainable products, plus a greater use of resilient flooring, which includes PVC/vinyl, linoleum, and rubber – effectively flooring that is firm and flexible. These emerging flooring trends are gradually becoming recognised, and the healthcare sector has seen improvements in most areas. Modern flooring has become more abrasion-resistant and durable, more slip-resistant, easier to clean with fewer odours, and has the ability to handle liquids better. The increased quality and longer service life of some flooring also translate to a more cost-effective product.
There is also an overall trend to use less harmful, less toxic materials, with a growing number of organisations meeting environmental standards for new products, or supplying a greater choice of flooring from recycled materials. An increase in the use of resilient flooring is clearly apparent. PVC and vinyl, for instance, are currently trendy and in demand. The reason resilient flooring suits healthcare environments so well is because it is incredibly durable, and thus ideal for areas subject to high footfall. Likewise, it is highly cost-effective, and offers health and safety attributes – all of which reflect the unique needs of healthcare settings.
Overall, healthcare organisations seek changes to flooring with several goals in mind – largely to update designs for better aesthetics, to improve hygiene, and to secure better health and safety properties
Even if a floor looks beyond repair, it isn’t
Currently, the frequency of floor replacement in a healthcare space averages around three years. This is because in high-traffic areas such as a busy hospital, for instance, floors undergo a rigid and harsh routine; they are generally deep-cleaned, polished, cracks filled, and planks replaced, up until a point that they are deemed unrepairable. At this stage, when resilient floors become damaged, they are likely to be ripped out and replaced with brand new flooring, but in most situations this is completely unnecessary
What some decision-makers may not be aware of is that even if a floor looks terrible – even it looks beyond repair – it probably isn’t. Floors with excessive damage can be salvaged with exceptional results; results which would make it difficult to distinguish between whether the surface is actually new or renovated, even for many flooring specialists. Renovation can transform a very bad floor into a surface that looks as good as new, but importantly without the high costs or immense disruption that a floor replacement may bring
Surface challenges
Healthcare organisations face several challenges with regards to surfaces. In a primary care setting, flooring must endure a lot – from foot traffic, wheelchairs, heavy equipment, dragged furniture, heat, spills, and more. Given this range of potentially damaging and wearing factors, some organisations may also find that their floors do not meet durability demands, and instead too often suffer from scratches, scuffs, cracks, dents, chips, and gaps. Importantly, health and safety concerns, and the need to comply with regulations, are also key factors, and since the outbreak of the pandemic there has been a greater level of deep cleaning, which can increase wear and tear, diminishing the floor’s appearance.
Keeping floors clean while managing wear and tear is a never-ending cycle, and with the advent of having to disinfect more frequently, along with the use of special detergents, some organisations have faced further challenges in finding cleaning agents that aren’t corrosive, toxic, or odorous. Significant time and effort are required to maintain hygiene levels, and although heavy cleaning addresses some issues, it also leads to others – such as accelerated wear, seal corrosion, discolouration, and moisture (leading to gaps and bumps). Slippery surfaces postcleaning can also be a safety hazard.
Budget constraints and disruption
One of the biggest barriers to replacing worn, ‘tired,’ or damaged flooring with a brand new product is, of course, budget restrictions – these can be costly projects – while the downtime required during installation generates challenges for patients and staff alike.
Renovation versus replacement
With the two main barriers to a new floor replacement being costs and downtime, floor renovation addresses these pain points effectively. Renovation of resilient floors allows the transformation of old, worn surfaces without having to endure the high cost of replacement. The value and cost savings that can be gained with renovation alleviate budget concerns, and the fast installation time ensures that any downtime and disruption are kept to an absolute minimum. In fact, renovation can in some cases take less than 24 hours, compared with several days required to fit a new floor
With poor condition of the surface itself, and health and safety concerns being the primary drivers to replace flooring, resilient flooring has an ability to maintain a superior appearance even in high-traffic areas, as well as to withstand stringent cleaning processes. It provides damaged or worn floors with a new lease of life, and the results are so outstanding that it could easily be mistaken for a brand new floor. For the healthcare sector, using what’s underfoot to reduce wastage and costs is a viable option, delivering clear benefits:
Environmental sustainability
ather than replacing flooring, which produces dust and germs, and often sees the used flooring end up in landfill, renovation reduces the environmental impact, avoiding the former steps, as well as removing the need to ever strip the floor again. An IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute Report found that renovating resilient flooring surfaces provides a more than 92% reduction in carbon footprint compared with floor replacement. Equally, durability, and the ability to withstand the demands of a healthcare space, are vital, and resilient flooring has a long lifespan
Greater value
To secure better value in the choice of flooring, renovation is substantially ahead of its counterpart. It saves time and costs compared with a new floor installation, reducing the initial replacement cost by up to 50%, and also reduces the outgoings associated with tearing out old flooring, installing new, and subsequent upkeep. By extending the life of the floor with minimum maintenance and minimum downtime, and improving durability, it enables staff and patients to get back to their space quickly.
Healthier, safer floor surfaces
Flat surfaces enable a seamless coating that prevents bacteria or germs from hiding in cracks and crevices, thus creating a more hygienic and healthier surface, while the anti-slip, anti-static attributes of resilient flooring protect against slips and falls. The flat surface also requires less time to clean, and fewer cleaning products. Equally, the ergonomic aspects, such as softer surfaces in areas where staff are standing for long hours, enable staff to work in more comfortable conditions.
A straightforward process
Renovation is a much quicker and more simple process, and the perfect flooring surface can be achieved in a matter of hours, minimising the disruption from downtime and noise, and the inconvenience of installing a new floor.
Short timeframe
A very short installation timeframe is needed, with 50% less downtime than replacement, which means less inconvenience to staff and patients, and no need for areas to be ‘out of bounds’ while work takes place.
Low maintenance
Being easy to clean, without damaging the floor, means less labour hours are required to maintain a resilient floor surface. Again, this saves money and time, which can be reallocated elsewhere
Resilient floor renovation in practice: how it works
Initially, old polish is removed and stripped from the floor’s surface; the floor is then abraded and cleaned, before being coated with a new colour or chip combination to make it look as good as new.
It is an incredibly simple process, which, although may vary from supplier to supplier, will be quick and easy. To give a better idea on timescales, renovation of a floor surface will take less than 24 hours, and after final application is ready to use within 12 hours. In contrast, fitting a new floor will take several days.
Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma, Resilient Sales manager at Bona, has worked across a variety of sectors, predominantly focusing on flooring and connected industries. He is an established Sales manager with many years’ experience in senior roles, having worked with a number of well-recognised organisations throughout his career. Today, he leads the Sales division at Bona UK ‘to help customers across healthcare choose the best flooring solutions on the market’. Bona said: “He is highly skilled at supporting the unique needs of customers in the sector, and maintaining strong, long-lasting client relationships. His in-depth knowledge of flooring in healthcare has seen him provide expert opinion on a range of related topics, as well as industry insight into the latest developments and trends across the UK flooring market.”