FLOORING is said to have an enormous effect on any space. This applies to shopping centres as well as medical practices, schools, sports, and administrative buildings. It forms the basis for interior design and contributes significantly to the overall impression. Resilient floor coverings have always been the flooring of choice for these high-traffic settings for decades. They’re easy to install, easy to maintain and extremely durable, says BONA.

But even resilient floor coverings don’t have an unlimited lifespan. The wear layer eventually develops hairline cracks allowing moisture and bacteria to penetrate. Surfaces become dull and stained and cleaning agents become ineffective, explains the company. This was the case in the premises of the thermal baths located in the idyllic Austrian ski and spa village, Bad Gastein. In the hot springs of Bad Hofgastein, visitors are said to have been enjoying the Gastein thermal water with all its invigorating power 365 days a year and have been doing so for over 50 years. The 1,000sq m of linoleum floors in the rehabilitation area are up to 20 years old and were unsightly, neglected and could no longer be cleaned or maintained effectively.

With the Bona Resilient System, it’s possible to renovate and upgrade resilient floors as opposed to replacement offering substantial cost, downtime, and environmental savings, says the company.
Replacing the floor covering in the thermal bath would’ve reportedly incurred at least two months of disruption to business, incurring substantial loss of revenue. The replacement process would’ve included dismantling and removing the treatment rooms, creating new covings and repair to the subfloor.

That was out of the question for the spa operators. They commissioned the Bona Certified Craftsman and interior decorator Kreuzthaler, to renovate all floors with the Bona Resilient System. This is described by the company as a complete system for renewing and transforming existing resilient floor coverings.

Bona says: ‘The first stage of the renovation included dry sanding and the use of Bona Diamond Blades to remove the old layers of polish. This process is of course dust-free, in combination with the Bona FlexiSand and DCS extraction system. The floor was then resanded while wet with the Bona Quattro disc and Bona Net abrasives. After the surface was vacuumed with the wet vacuum cleaner and allowed to dry, the colored paint, Bona Pure Colour, a two-component PU paint with a drying time of one hour, was used.

When it comes to visual design, the Bona Resilient System knows no bounds. Bona Pure Colour is available in all RAL colours offering several design options. Coloured routes and zones can also be implemented and, logos and graphics can even be integrated into the new wear-layer. Bona Creative Colour Chips are also available, which can be incorporated into the renovated floor covering.
The RAL color 7035 light grey was chosen for all rooms of the Bad Gastein thermal baths. Bona Creative Chips, the colours of ‘black and white’, were then applied to the wet coat of paint to visually enhance the surface and conceal unevenness of the floor. Then the transparent PU varnish, Bona Pure, was applied twice to protect the colour and offer a fully sealed, hygienic surface. A logo was added to the floor in the entrance hall which was sealed in to protect it.’

The visual result is said to speak for itself, and the onsite maintenance team are said to be delighted at the ease of cleaning following the renovation. The Bona Resilient System also brings many other benefits, says the company.

‘Faster construction progress and 90% less materials were used. Those who know the details won’t be surprised a refurbishment is easier to budget for than a full floor replacement. And the environment also benefits, because a CO2 reduction of 90% has been achieved in specific projects. In view of many sites with resilient flooring in need of renovation, thousands of tons of CO2 can be saved by renovating old floor coverings. In times of tight budgets and growing climate concern, the question should be asked: Is it necessary to replace the old floor?’ Bona offers a free and non-binding floor consultation,’ says the company.
www.bona.com