Rohit Sharma on how the renewal of sports hall surfaces hits the ground running.

SURFACES in educational settings endure huge demands, and sports hall flooring is no exception, it goes through the mill. On top of being used for a diverse range of sporting activities, it generally has multi-purpose use. Think assemblies, exams, open days, events and parties throughout the year; it’s an especially busy facility.

Durability is essential as the surface undergoes a great deal, and while it needs to be robust enough to support different uses, ultimately it needs to be fit for its primary purpose and provide a competitive edge for playing sports.

Mixed usage sees extensive demands placed on paints and finishes. While the tempo of sporting activities subjects surfaces to intense impact, movement, and flexing. Of course, this is all part of the game for a sports hall, however such high usage leads to damage. Over time sports hall floors can become badly damaged, with organisations having to restrict or even stop usage.

Scratches, cracks, scuff marks and fading are common, and even more prevalent damage such as holes or tears aren’t unusual either.

This is the point when, historically, the floor would be written off owing to inadequate performance, safety and aesthetics. It would be removed, dumped in landfill and replaced with a brand-new floor – at great cost, waste, and time.

Now with education budgets squeezed to the max, and the need to secure better value for money with all purchasing decisions, alongside a growing interest in minimising our collective impact on the environment, alternative approaches are sought, and contractors are increasingly using the process of resilient floor renewal to bring floors back to their original life.

Transforming indoor spaces
Every layer of the sports floor plays a crucial role in delivering the level of performance needed – from floorboard adhesion, and the painting of line markings, to application of coating and finishes, and proper maintenance procedures. Every stage is important, and the resilient floor renewal process ensures the right steps are taken at the right time.

With sports halls used for varied purposes in schools, colleges and universities, most establishments need a fast turnaround to minimise the amount of time the facility is out of use. Depending on size and treatment, the industry-standard renovation time for a sports hall floor can take between two-to-four days which is significantly less time than a brand new installation.

However, there are specialist sports hall solutions available that cut this time even further, to a 24-hour turnaround.

While premium condition is achievable, there isn’t the premium price, and in fact it can be up to 50% cheaper than purchasing new. Contractors can therefore quickly, skilfully, and cost effectively restore floors to a high standard. It’s a seamless process.

A bespoke makeover
Floor renewal delivers greater benefits over new installations in terms of costs and timings, it’s a hassle-free choice for everyone, contractor and client alike. Yet there’s no compromise on other areas either because it also provides the choice and final results associated with new.

It’s fully customisable, and unique design effects are achievable via a full spectrum of colour options and decorative chips, as well as via adding logos and graphics – in exactly the same way as new.
Picking up on the environmental aspect, while unwanted flooring often ends up in landfill, renewing is a far more sustainable option – up to 92% reduction in carbon footprint is achievable, as well as at least 90% savings in energy resources.

Renewing resilient sports hall floors is a route to a competitive edge, not just for educational organisations, but for contractors. It’s near impossible to spot the difference between a brand new surface and a renewed surface because the quality is so high, it’s flawless.

Both the need and demand to replace sports hall surfaces with a new installation is rapidly declining as the impact of restoring, renewing and upgrading is being recognised. Renovation projects in the education restore surfaces to their former glory with a vibrant, long-lasting and exceptional finish.
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Rohit Sharma is resilient sales manager at Bona