Chris Rand explains why adhesive-free flooring products offer the ideal solution for contractors and their clients.
FOR healthcare clients, it’s likely the most important factors to consider when it comes to refurbishment works is that the products chosen will need to save them time and money. Here, I’ll explain why adhesive-free flooring products offer the ideal solution for contractors and their clients.
Rarely do environments pose as many challenges for contractors as hospitals, especially when it comes to the refurbishment of existing facilities. With hospitals in operation around the clock, it’s vital the new flooring solution offers a combination of optimal performance benefits, while being quick and easy to install during the prescribed time constraints to minimise disruption and downtime. With NHS budgets also continuing to be stretched, choosing products that offer clients valuable cost savings are also vital.
While achieving a cost and time balance may seem to be a demanding task, the truth is, it couldn’t be easier. In fact, adhesive-free products can tick all of the boxes. Rapid and reusable, adhesive-free flooring solutions are installed with minimal subfloor preparation in many cases, or even over an existing floor, which significantly reduces installation time onsite.
Owing to the fact no adhesives are used, there is no need to worry about patients, staff and visitors being impacted by lingering odours, meaning projects can be completed in a live working hospital or overnight, depending on the size of the installation area.
For your client, setting and drying times are eliminated and floors can be walked on or used with heavy rolling loads such as hospital beds immediately, and without the risk of movement or rucking. Fitters will also be spending less time on site, which is not only crucial under the current circumstances, but also provides further significant cost savings.
If the existing subfloor is suitable, the installation of ‘fast fit’ floorcoverings can be quiet, reducing disruption to patients. What’s more, products are easy to uplift and reuse, or remove and recycle at the end of life as no adhesive residue is left on the back of the material.
This also results in potential savings on future renovations as no costly subfloor preparation is required on removal. For hospital settings where hygiene is of utmost importance, Modul’up can be easily coved using a cover former using the same single side tape system.
One hospital that was looking for a time and cost-saving solution was Southport and Ormskirk NHS Hospital Trust, for the refurbishment of its Children’s A&E and Children’s Ward at Ormskirk District General Hospital.
Opting for Forbo Flooring Systems’ Modul’up adhesive-free sheet vinyl, which is part of Forbo’s Fast Fit collection, the flooring was quick to install during out of hours, while delivering outstanding dimensional stability and indentation resistance.
William Svarfvar, capital project manager at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust said: ‘For us at the NHS Trust, the biggest advantages of Modul’up are its cost and time saving benefits. The fact it could be installed over existing floors and they didn’t need to be stripped up meant the fitters were able to complete the job quickly and easily, saving over 50% on installation time, and in turn contributing to our cost savings. As floors were ready for use after installation, the department could resume as normal when it reopened the following morning.’
Modul’up in the Polar Oak design was installed in the A&E waiting areas, circulation spaces and side-rooms. The plank detailing combined with the natural aesthetics of the oak shade offers a more contemporary design.
Meanwhile the concrete-look was chosen for the reception area and the paediatrics staff and changing facilities. The result is a fresh, durable, and modern flooring refurbishment which has injected a new lease of life into the building.
Installed by a team of two fitters from Crown Flooring, Dominic Gillies, account manager, commented: ‘We completed the Modul’up installations overnight, Monday to Thursday, while the department was closed. The adhesive-free solution saved us a lot of time as we did not need to prepare the subfloor and it was really easy to lay it over the existing vinyl.
Owing to the nature of hospitals, and particularly in the current climate, it’s important that tradespeople are able to get in and out as quickly as possible, and Modul’up enabled us to do this while still completing the job to an excellent standard. I would definitely recommend using it on further projects.’
It’s recommended contractors work closely with a reputable manufacturer to choose the most suitable adhesive-free solutions for their healthcare projects.
www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/fastfit
www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/healthcare
Chris Rand is segment marketing manager for healthcare at Forbo Flooring Systems
