A Safer and More Natural School Floor

IVC Commercial Isafe 70 can bring education environments a cost-effective vinyl floor that doesn’t compromise natural looks for its enhanced slip restraint.

 

Preferred in public areas, receptions, corridors and congregation areas for its additional slip-restraint, sheet vinyl safety flooring often compromises its aesthetic quality for performance. However, the latest generation of heterogeneous vinyl safety flooring from IVC Commercial brings no-compromise aesthetics and improved performance.

Now achieving TRRL 42+ thanks to advancements in its Hypergrip+ technology, the improved coating on Isafe 70 appears more matt and is clearer than before, so the collection’s natural wood and stone designs look more authentic.

Paul Webb, national sales manager specification, says: “Schools have always prioritised safety, durability and cleanability when it comes to flooring, but it can also play an important role in creating a supportive environment for pupils. Our new Isafe 70 collection lets schools embrace both slip restraint and design, so that pupils can benefit from a safer and more supportive school environment.”

Isafe 70 is designed and made in Belgium for a floor that offers excellent quality. Dual glass fibre layers improve on the competition to give the floor extra strength and stability in use, while Sanitec boosts hygiene with its anti-bacterial protection.

The Isafe 70 collection is available in 26 designs, including wood plank and herringbone, concrete, terrazzo and a range of colours.

 

For further information, please visit www.ivc-commercial.com

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Everroll® meets brief for University of Edinburgh gym refurbishment

CMS Danskin Acoustics’ Everroll® fitness flooring has been selected for a major gym refurbishment at The University of Edinburgh.  Specified by MnD Floors, a specialist sports flooring installer, the project was completed over the summer and the gym at the Pleasance Sports Complex has re-opened to students, University staff, and the local community.

As one key element of the full refurbishment, the University of Edinburgh’s Sports Infrastructure team set out a flooring brief requiring a good acoustic balance for the space, an easily cleanable finish and a contemporary look.  The flooring had to be durable and hard wearing to allow for exercise machine movement.  The new floor was to replace carpet tiles and laminate.

Everroll® was recommended by the University’s trusted installer MnD Floors. “We have used Everroll® for a number of years, so were confident in the product,” explains Lenny Davis of MnD Floors.  “The University looked at a number of samples and chose Everroll® ‘Berlin’ 10mm.”  An area of over 800 metres² has been fitted.

 

Commenting on the end result, Mark Munro, Director of Sport and Active Health at The University of Edinburgh, said,

“Sport and activity underpin community life on campus. Our job is to enable people to become their best, through spaces and experiences that help people believe they are capable of great things. The new Everroll® gym flooring, not only looks great but offers the durability required in such a high footfall space, helping us uphold this ‘best in class’ mantra.”

Everroll® is a registered trademark of REGUPOL BSW GmbH.

Everroll® fitness flooring is available from CMS Danskin Acoustics in 4mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm and 12mm thicknesses.  The 4mm and 6mm variants are designed to provide an easy-on-the-joints training experience, as well as for protection against impacts and heavy loads.  The 8mm, 10mm and 12mm variants were developed for free-weight training and cross-fit facilities, and are specifically resistant against drop impacts from free weights, dumbbells and kettlebells.  Everroll® is made from PUR bonded rubber crumb and EPDM granulate.  It is available in a range of styles and colours.

The University of Edinburgh has dedicated the newly refurbished gym to Eric Liddell, the former University student who won Gold in the 400 metres at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris and whose story is depicted in the film ‘Chariots of Fire’.   An official opening is scheduled to take place in September at which members of Eric Liddell’s family, University students, and staff will take part in a ribbon cutting ceremony, in advance of the 2024 Centenary.

CMDS Danskin Acoustics is a specialist in acoustic flooring with a track record in sports flooring, providing bespoke and off-the-shelf acoustic solutions for gyms.  Including acoustic floors and reverberation and vibration treatments, CMS Danskin Acoustics has an extensive product range and offers a testing service.  MnD Floors has over 20 years’ experience in supplying and installing sports, fitness, equine and commercial flooring, working in the UK and worldwide.

CLICK HERE FOR THE CMS DANSKIN WEBSITE

 

CLICK HERE FOR THE M.D. FLOORS WEBSITE

 

 

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Rise to the top with TradeChoice Carpet & Flooring

Rise to the top of the class with TradeChoice Carpet & Flooring

With the average school term in the UK lasting 195 days (or 39 weeks of the year) from wet winters to dry summers, school flooring endures a year-round strain. Prepare for a seamless transition by upgrading flooring during the summer break to avoid any disruption to students, staff and to the day-to-day running of academic life.

As one of the largest independent flooring distributors in the UK, you can rely on TradeChoice Carpet & Flooring to make your job easier. We can offer a comprehensive range of solutions when it comes to installing flooring in the educational sector. From fibre-bonded carpets in entranceways to carpet tiles in classrooms and Luxury Vinyl Tile in hallways, TradeChoice Carpet & Flooring are always on hand with knowledgeable staff and a reliable service, to do whatever it takes and to provide you with a great deal more when it comes to flooring.
Here, we offer our suggestions for selecting the most suitable flooring options for an educational environment, along with additional factors to consider when making flooring decisions.

Recommended Flooring Types:

Safety Flooring
Given that students engage in a diverse array of subjects ranging from the arts and sciences to design and technology, which often require movement within the classroom, prioritizing safety is crucial. This is particularly important in preventing slips and falls, as the presence of debris and spills on the floor can be relatively common.
Installing safety flooring in these areas with slip-resistance properties, as well as being anti-bacterial, hard wearing and easy to clean, puts the safety of students and staff first.

 

 

Fibre-Bonded Carpets
Given the unpredictable nature of the UK weather, which often involves experiencing several seasons in a single day, it is highly likely that students entering a building from outside may neglect to wipe their feet. As a result, moisture and debris from outdoors are inadvertently brought indoors.
Installing a heavy-duty fibre-bonded carpet or a tile and plank option in receptions and entranceways will capture any soil and debris walked in from outside, protecting the rest of your interior floor finishes and resulting in floor coverings that remain in better condition for longer. Additionally, fibre-bonded carpets offer not only durability but also a range of attractive colour options, allowing you to create an inviting environment for both students and staff.

 

Carpet Tiles
Offering endless design opportunities and available at various price points, as well as being great for limited budgets, carpet tiles offer durability and sound reduction; brilliant for helping develop a quiet space for learning and teaching in classrooms and when installed in hallways, preventing noise reverberating around the school.  A huge benefit when it comes to installing carpet tiles is that the creative opportunities are endless! Gone are the days where plain grey carpet tiles were installed in corridors and classrooms of educational establishments, creating a sombre, uninviting tone. Today, schools, colleges and universities can create a welcoming and uplifting environment for pupils, staff and visitors.
Available in a wide variety of designs and colours, carpet tiles allow the installer to create a bespoke installation to suit any aesthetic. An accent colour can even be incorporated into the floor design to emphasise the establishment’s own unique identity.
Moreover, in the event of a spill or accidental paint drop on a tile, it can be replaced individually, eliminating the need to re-lay the entire floor area. This not only saves unnecessary expense but also reduces the effort involved in maintenance.

Luxury Vinyl Tile
With large amounts of footfall in educational buildings, Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) rise to the challenge of being both versatile and easy to install. Due to its hard-wearing qualities, LVT has become increasingly popular. Designed to have the appearance of real wood and stone, and other natural materials, LVT not only looks like the real thing, but feel likes it, creating a beautiful luxury look.
Additionally, it is easy to clean and has good slip resistance to prevent any slips and falls. It also offers noise reduction, minimising the sounds of heavy footfall and background noise.

Other considerations when purchasing flooring in the educational sector:

Colour

Thinking about how the colour choice of floor covering can have an impact on pupil  or staff mental well-being is a worthwhile consideration. In educational facilities, colour differentiation between sections of flooring can also help direct pupils and staff to important areas as well as allowing you to create a zonal separation to help pupils adapt their behaviour to each area that they are in. For example, installing two different flooring colourways to identify between work and play areas is often a good idea.  A neutral colour tone which is based around nature, for example, can conjure up relaxed feelings. In contrast, bright colourways can invoke a creative environment and a friendly atmosphere. Therefore, it may be worthwhile considering installing flooring with bright colourways in an art classroom to inspire pupils whilst installing neutral flooring in hallways.

 

Installer
It is of paramount importance that you use a professional, experienced installer when replacing the floor coverings within a school. Even when using a top-quality product, using the wrong installer can result in an inadequate and potentially unsafe installation. We suggest using a recommended installer with experience in educational establishment installation to ensure your project is completed on time and within budget.

To obtain further information regarding TradeChoice Carpet & Flooring’s wide range of flooring products specifically

designed for educational settings or to request flooring samples, you can contact us by using any of the following contact methods:

Website: www.tradechoice.com

Email: customer.services@tradechoice.com

Telephone: 01527 511860

 

 

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Mapei aids a safe floor installation at Sunningdale

A Mapei system has been used by Titan Flooring to promote a fast and safe floor installation at Sunningdale SEN School in Sunderland. The project, which included installation of vinyl and carpet tiles throughout the £12.5 million new-build school, was completed for Kier, a leading UK infrastructure services, construction and property group.

 

Sunningdale SEN School is the city’s only specialist school for children with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties, aged 2-11. The new school replaces an existing facility and now provides extensive therapy provisions including rebound therapy, hydrotherapy pool, sensory facilities and soft play. Each of the new classrooms includes a large storage area for mobility equipment and, across the wider site, the school benefits from informal play and grass playing fields, alongside a wetlands area, nature trail and habitat area.

During the installation, Titan Flooring installed Mapeproof One Coat – a single application damp proof membrane – to protect the new floor coverings from residual moisture. All-purpose primer, ECO Prim T Plus, was then applied to bond the damp proof membrane to the levelling and smoothing compound – Latexplan Trade. ECO Prim T Plus features a solvent-free, low odour formulation, with EMICODE EC1 Plus for very low emissions of VOC.

Following installation of the Latexplan Trade – which benefits from a low odour and protein-free formulation – Titan used two Mapei adhesives for the floor installation: solvent-free Ultrabond ECO Tack TX+ carpet tile tackifier and Ultrabond ECO V4 Evolution all-in-one adhesive for the vinyl. Both adhesives also feature a very low VOC formulation, with EMICODE EC1 Plus certification.

For more information about Mapei PLEASE CLICK HERE to email them

 

or CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE MAPEI WEBSITE

 

 

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University’s new court has star appeal

The University of Kent can now practice and play on one of the world’s finest basketball courts after learning a lesson from stars of America’s hugely popular NBA.

Kent is the first UK university to have an MFMA PUR certified and EN14904 compliant Robbins solid maple wood floor installed by its UK-based partner TVS Sports Surfaces. Robbins, which was founded in 1894, is a preferred supplier of competition or training surfaces to a significant number of teams in the billion-dollar NBA and of the last 27 NBA Championships contested, 22 were won by teams who play and train on Robbins courts.

“After around two decades of use as a multi-sport facility, the university’s old court was badly in need of an upgrade,” explained TVS Sports Surfacing Specialist Jason Lewis-Lamb. “A survey revealed significant issues with the sub-floor which had caused failures in the existing floor and needed to be rectified prior to the installation of the new court.”


The TVS/Robbins partnership was chosen after an exhaustive evaluation by the University of Kent with quality and longevity being major factors in the final decision along with the need to meet stringent international and UK sports standards. The new Robbins court in Canterbury is expected to last between 50-75 years! The long-term benefits also include the active reduction of injuries and player fatigue through the Robbins maximum vibration protection (MVP) patented system.

The sub-structure work and the new flooring installation, using northern hard maple from the USA and Canada, was completed by TVS Sports Surfaces within 6 working weeks.

As well as basketball, TVS also ensured that specific markings were added for netball and badminton to ensure that the new court could continue to be used as a multi-sport facility.

VISIT THE TVS WEBSITE

 

 

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OPEN PLAN TEACHING SPACES BROUGHT TO LIFE USING FORBO FLOORING SCHEME

For the new Calderwood primary school, part of the Calderwood Masterplan development in West Lothian, jmarchitects were tasked with creating an open and collaborative series of learning spaces for teachers and students to enjoy for years to come. Thanks to Forbo Flooring Systems’ large portfolio of solutions, jmarchitects specified a variety of products throughout the school, with Marmoleum and Vinyl at the forefront of this new development.

 

Built for West Lothian Council and forming part of the Core Development Area of Calderwood, the school is at the heart of the new residential masterplan created by Stirling Developments. Located across from the proposed village square, the school can currently accommodate 462 primary aged pupils and 128 early years pupils. jmarchitects worked closely with the local council to form a design brief and plan for the building.

 

Ciaran Quinn, Senior Architect at jmarchitects, said: “We had a series of ‘visioning workshops’ with West Lothian Council at the outset of the project, which allowed us to discuss and establish their most important project aspects, which in turn helped us to develop our key design drivers. West Lothian Council were striving to create a new educational facility that offered pupils the opportunity to learn through an open and collaborative learning environment. As such, the design proposals were developed to provide a series of flexible interchangeable spaces within an overall building plan, to deliver opportunities for pupils of all ages to interact and learn from each other.

“The council see the entire building as a learning space, not just the class bases. The plan is arranged to ensure that pupils in various years can see pupils in other years, learning and working together throughout the school in a similar way. Teachers are encouraged to embrace the spatial design of the building and use the different spaces to deliver their teaching in alternative and more informal ways throughout the school.”

 

A refined and muted colour palette was developed in conjunction with the Interior FF&E Consultant and West Lothian Council in the early stages of planning. The team spent time researching and investigating various colours and textures to ensure the collective vision was achieved. Whilst a variety of Forbo’s solutions were specified, Marmoleum was at the forefront of the project, playing a prominent role across many different areas of the school.

 

Ciaran commented: “In keeping with the desired neutral palette, Forbo’s Marmoleum Decibel Concrete offered us this perfect, calm colourway in Asteroid. It was important to utilise a product within these large open plan areas that would deal with the number of pupils occupying these key spaces, so Marmoleum really fitted the bill for everything we needed”.

A highly durable sheet, Marmoleum Decibel is capable of withstanding the heavy footfall that you’d see in an entrance area and dining hall and can reduce impact sound by 18 dB – important for a building full of young children.

 

Alongside Marmoleum, a selection of flooring from Forbo’s vinyl sheet collections were also used within other areas of the school, with a combination of the Surestep, Safestep and Eternal all used.

 

Ciaran explains: “The Vinyl range from Forbo is so expansive; there are solutions for every area of a building. For example, the Surestep range was specified for the toilets and changing areas – anywhere that could pose the danger of slips, trips or spills. Surestep provides schools and parents with peace of mind, knowing that the relevant safety procedures are in place to help reduce any risk of accidents. Safestep was also specified in the general-purpose areas, such as within the kitchen – as this range is designed specifically for areas where spills are expected.

“Another design consideration was to ensure that the interior space stayed connected throughout, with a clear wayfinding strategy through the school, and Forbo’s Eternal Wood vinyl helped us to achieve this. We needed to clearly differentiate the circulation areas from the classrooms and breakout zones. The Bleached Timber colourway from the Eternal Wood range perfectly complemented the light greys and greens used in the classrooms, but clearly differentiated the space. It also reflected the neutral palette we had running throughout the school.”

 

To round off the interior design project, a suitable carpet tile was needed for the classroom and office areas. Ciaran continued: “For the actual teaching spaces, we knew we needed something that could handle footfall and noise, but still provide comfort and be in keeping with our selected theme. Forbo’s Tessera Cloudscape range solved all these issues for us. The Light Airs colourway was perfect for the teaching spaces. We also used the Monsoon Cloud colourway, which is a beautiful neutral green, to add a little pop of colour and help brighten up the break-out spaces.”

 

With its 26 dB noise reduction, Tessera Cloudscape can help to create more peaceful learning environments. Not only this but with a pile height of 4.4mm, it provides good underfoot comfort to create a more relaxed atmosphere.

 

Ciaran concluded: “jmarchitects are delighted to have been involved with such a prestigious project, working in close collaboration from the outset with West Lothian Council; we are very pleased with the completed building. It was a team effort from commencement to completion to ensure that the early key design drivers were developed through the detail design and interior concept design to ensure these were translated through to the completed project.

“West Lothian Council, the teaching staff and the pupils are extremely happy with their new learning environment. The Council’s forward thinking in terms of educational design and the way that education is delivered allowed jmarchitects to push the boundaries of education design and enabled us to deliver this inspiring semi-open plan teaching environment.”

For more information about Forbo’s solutions

for the education sector,

please CLICK HERE

 

 

 

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All dance students deserve to dance on a Harlequin floor

Dancers can spend hours working in a dance studio, it is their place of work and should offer a safe environment fit for purpose. The floor is a dancer’s most important work tool; not only is it the canvas for their creativity, it also gives them protection against slips, falls and longer-term stress injuries.

Experienced dancers can judge a good floor instinctively as to whether or not it feels right. And if it feels right they can effectively forget about the floor and concentrate on putting all their focus and concentration into the artistic performance. A confidence that comes from a reassurance they are not going to slip and fall, that lifts can be performed safely and on landing from jumps the response of the floor consistently returns the right amount of energy absorption. Quantifying this subjective rating of a floor into a series of repeatable tests is no simple task. Anyone specifying floors for dance should remember that dancers may not be the commissioning clients, but they are the end users. Major dance companies understand this, which is why it is not uncommon to ask their dancers to “test” floors before the final choice is made.

It is a common assumption that a well-designed sports floor will suit the needs of dancers, but this is not the case.
There are some critical factors that distinguish the requirements of dance from those of sports played on a sports floor. Many sports require a firm floor which allows balls to bounce predictably. By contrast dancers need more absorption from the floor to protect them on landing from jumps. A good dance floor instills confidence in dancers to give full expression to their creativity, safe in the knowledge the dance floor will offer a consistent response.

Unlike sportsmen who wear increasingly high-tech air-cushioned shoes to give grip and protect against impact injuries, the modest ballet shoe has barely changed in design since the mid-18th century. Made from soft leather, canvas or satin, the ballet shoe is very flexible, has a thin sole and offers little protection for the wearer.
But not all dance floors are the same, only a floor developed specifically for dance will do. There may be a temptation to specify floors for aesthetic or budget reasons, or to specify sports floors in the mistaken belief they will be suitable for dance but there have been some high-profile examples where floors have had to be replaced by a dance company after the building is complete and dancers have their first experience of dancing on the floors.

Generally, dancers should refuse to perform on unsuitable floors and demand the right to have a touring floor that has the same absorbent characteristics as the floor installed in their rehearsal studio. A dance floor should be neither too supple nor too soft. A hard floor has the effect of causing serious return shock waves and can bring about injuries or premature wear in the cartilage. A soft floor causes the muscles, and therefore the tendons, to work harder. Additionally, a floor that is too soft can be dangerous for dancers because of the effect of surprise.
The flooring manufacturer has a role to play in ensuring dancers have a safe environment in which to rehearse and perform.

Harlequin is widely recognised as the world’s leading authority on dance floors. As an enlightened manufacturer Harlequin has always worked closely with the dance community to develop floors that dancers want to dance on. Flooring products in the Harlequin portfolio were typically evolved to meet the specific needs of a particular dance style and have been developed in conjunction with dancers themselves.

Aware of the high injury level among dancers, Harlequin is an active supporter of IADMS (International Association for Dance Medicine and Science) and of NIDMS (National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science). NIDMS through shared expertise and a network of multidisciplinary partners, is working to provide better and more affordable access for all dancers to high quality, evidence-based, dance specific health care and dance science support services.

Leading dance companies from around the world trust Harlequin to keep their dancers safe in their rehearsal dance studios, on stage and, more recently, whilst dancing from home.
But this assurance of quality is not only applicable to elite dancers. It is equally important to provide amateur dancers in performing arts colleges, universities and schools with the same quality flooring. Aspiring dancers need protection too if they are to avoid cutting short their potential dance careers.

There is no doubt, the choice of flooring is critical. For over 40 years Harlequin has been the performance floor of choice for the world’s most prestigious dance and performing arts companies, theatres, venues and schools.

Harlequin’s experience and reputation are founded on the design, manufacture and supply of a range of high quality portable and permanent sprung and vinyl floors chosen by the world’s leading venues – from the Royal Opera House, to the Paris Opera Ballet and the Queensland Ballet.

 

Harlequin offers free advice to ensure dance companies, schools and venues install dance floors best suited to their particular use.
For more information, please visit the website or call +44 (0)1892 514 888.

www.harlequinfloors.com

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Be top of the class on flooring with Carpet & Flooring

With the average school term in the UK lasting 195 days (or 39 weeks of the year) through wet and cold winters to warm dry summers, floorings in schools take quite a beating throughout the academic year. So, with the school term soon drawing to a close, now will be the ideal time to consider updating flooring during the summer break to avoid any disruption to students, staff and to the day-to-day running of academic life.

As one of the largest independent flooring distributors in the UK, Carpet & Flooring have all your flooring needs covered with a comprehensive range of solutions when it comes to installing flooring in the educational sector. From fibre-bonded carpets in entranceways to carpet tiles in classrooms and Luxury Vinyl Tile in hallways, Carpet & Flooring are always on hand to offer the complete flooring package to the educational sector, together with expert advice, nationwide.
Here we provide our recommendations in specifying the best flooring solutions in an education setting as well other considerations to bear in mind when choosing flooring.

Recommended Flooring Types:

Safety Flooring
With students studying a wide range of subjects from the arts and science to design and technology where movement around the classroom is necessary, safety becomes of paramount importance in preventing any slips where any debris and spillages on the floor may be commonplace.
Installing safety flooring in these areas with slip resistance properties, as well as being anti-bacterial, hard wearing and easy to clean, puts the safety of students and staff first.

Fibre-Bonded Carpets
With the UK weather being very changeable, quite often having four seasons in one day, the chances are that, when coming in from outside, pupils do not wipe their feet, thereby bringing in moisture and debris from outside.
Installing a heavy-duty fibre-bonded carpet or a tile and plank option in receptions and entranceways will capture any soil and debris walked in from outside, protecting the rest of your interior floor finishes and resulting in floor coverings that remain in better condition for longer. Aside from being durable, fibre-bonded carpets are available in a wide variety of colourways so that you can create an inviting space for pupils and staff.

Carpet Tiles
Offering endless design opportunities and available at various price points, as well as being great for limited budgets, carpet tiles offer durability and sound reduction, great for helping to develop a quiet space for learning and teaching in classrooms and preventing noise reverberating around the school when installed in hallways.
A huge benefit when it comes to installing carpet tiles is that the creative opportunities are endless! Gone are the days where plain grey carpet tiles were installed in corridors and classrooms of educational establishments, creating a sombre, uninviting tone. Today, schools, colleges and universities can create a welcoming and uplifting environment for pupils, staff and visitors.
Available in a wide variety of designs and colours, carpet tiles allow the installer to create a bespoke installation to suit any aesthetic. An accent colour can even be incorporated into the floor design to emphasise the establishment’s own unique identity.
Additionally, if a tile is damaged by a drink being spilt or paint being dropped, it can be replaced individually, rather than requiring the whole floor area to be re-laid at unnecessary expense and effort.

Luxury Vinyl Tile
With large amounts of footfall in educational buildings, Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) rise to the challenge of being both versatile and easy to install. Due to its hard-wearing qualities, LVT has become increasingly popular. Designed to have the appearance of real wood and stone, and other natural materials, LVT not only looks like the real thing, but feel likes it, creating a beautiful luxury look.
Additionally, it is easy to clean and has good slip resistance to prevent any slips and falls. It also offers noise reduction, minimising the sounds of heavy footfall and background noise.

 

Other considerations when purchasing flooring in the educational sector:

Colour
As well as the choice of floor covering, the consideration of how the colour choice can have an impact on a pupil’s or staff’s mental well-being is a worthwhile consideration. In educational facilities, colour differentiation between sections of flooring can also help direct pupils and staff to important areas as well as allowing you to create a zonal separation to help pupils adapt their behaviour to each area that they are in. For example, installing two different flooring colourways to identify between work and play areas is often done.
A neutral colour tone which is based around nature, for example, can conjure up relaxed feelings. In contrast, bright colourways can invoke a creative environment and a friendly atmosphere. Therefore, it may be worthwhile considering installing flooring with bright colourways in an art classroom to inspire pupils whilst installing neutral flooring in hallways.

Installer
It is of paramount importance that you use a professional, experienced installer when replacing the floor coverings within a school. Even when using a top-quality product, using the wrong installer can result in an inadequate and potentially unsafe installation. We suggest using a recommended installer with experience in educational establishment installation to ensure your project is completed on time and within budget.

To find out more about Carpet & Flooring’s extensive product portfolio for flooring in the educational sector or to request free samples, contact us by the following methods:

Website: www.carpetandflooring.co.uk

 

email: customer.services@carpetandflooring.co.uk

 

Telephone: 01527 511860

 

Live Chat with Customer Services: Visit the Carpet & Flooring website
and click on the orange icon at the bottom right of any webpage to
chat with a member of our Customer Services team.
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FORBO LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE TOPSHIELD PRO FINISH FOR ITS MARMOLEUM COLLECTION

To meet the ever-changing demands of today’s commercial interiors, Forbo Flooring Systems has launched an improved version of its water-based lacquer, applied to its Marmoleum collection: Topshield Pro. Offering three times better protection than its predecessor, Topshield Pro will further protect the integrity of the design, whilst facilitating easy cleaning and maintenance.

 

Manufactured from 97% natural raw materials and CO2 neutral (from cradle to gate) without offsetting, Marmoleum is Forbo’s own brand of linoleum and is one of the most sustainable flooring solutions available on the market. As a company, Forbo believes in creating better environments, which is why it is has invested in Topshield Pro to ensure its Marmoleum collection performs to the best of its ability when installed.

Now the standard protection for Forbo’s Marmoleum collection, Topshield Pro has been independently tested, with results showing that it offers  three times better protection than its predecessor. The two-layer system of the Topshield Pro surface finish technology means the floor covering is much more resistant to wear and tear, as well as stains – including stains from hand disinfectant gels and infection control systems –, ensuring a better appearance over a longer life cycle.

What’s more, with a new process introduced for applying Topshield Pro to Marmoleum, the finish is tougher than ever before, and as a result the surface is less susceptible to dirt build up and is easier to clean. It also requires no initial polymer application, delivering a “ready to use floor”, which is better for the environment and reduces the cost of ownership overall.

Karen Wilding, Senior Marketing Executive at Forbo Flooring Systems, said: “In addition to the incomparable benefits Topshield Pro now delivers, one feature of Marmoleum that sometimes goes under the radar, is the fact that even at the end of its long life, it can actually be renovated for a second, third and even fourth life. This means that if the flooring is accidently damaged, it can be restored without having to replace the entire floor increasing the already long lifespan of Marmoleum, whilst delivering the lowest cost of ownership for a resilient flooring.

“The launch of our Topshield Pro technology bolsters the benefits of Marmoleum even more, with the sustainability profile of the solution cementing it as a long-term and environmentally conscious solution.”

As Topshield Pro is a water-based lacquer, the sustainable integrity of Marmoleum is not affected. Furthermore, Marmoleum is free from plasticisers and synthetic additives, as well as being low in emissions. Bacteriostatic by nature, it has also been awarded the prestigious Allergy UK Seal of Approval as, with the correct cleaning and maintenance regime, it won’t harbour dust mites.

Marmoleum is the perfect solution to create modern, healthy and sustainable indoor environments in any building, whether that be a hospital, school, public building or leisure space.

 

 

For more information visit on the new Topshield Pro finish PLEASE CLICK HERE

or to view Forbo’s full Marmoleum flooring solutions portfolio PLEASE CLICK HERE

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Carpet & Flooring has your needs covered

When it comes to supplying flooring to the Education Sector, Carpet & Flooring has your needs covered, with ranges through from small private nurseries to large university campuses.

Carpet & Flooring offers a wide array of industry-leading brands and flooring types in one convenient order and delivery process. Plus, for your own convenience, we have 10 branches located nationally throughout the UK. Here, experienced Carpet & Flooring staff can guide you through the ideal solutions for any educational setting and de-bunk common misconceptions about flooring in this sector.

 

“Flooring involves a lot of upkeep and is expensive to maintain”
Whether you work in a nursery, school or university, wear and tear is inevitable, especially in areas of heavy footfall. However, there are steps which can be taken which will help alleviate the level of upkeep to the flooring and minimise costs.
Firstly, placing a robust floor covering such as a heavy-duty fibre-bonded carpet, tile or plank option or a nylon barrier matting with scrapper fibre in the entranceway or reception of such an establishment is paramount.
Additionally, the installed entrance solution will capture any moisture or debris walked in from outside and will ensure that the flooring within the building remains in peak condition for longer, minimises costs and provides an improved aesthetic and first impression for those who work in and visit the establishment.
Furthermore, carpet tiles in the classroom or play areas are not only quicker and easier to install but can be replaced in isolated areas where there has been wear or a spillage. It is easier and more cost-effective to replace a worn tile than replacing an entire floor than if, say, broadloom carpet was used as the floor covering.

“You cannot make a statement with flooring”
Gone are the days where grey carpet was installed in corridors of education establishments creating a muted, sombre tone! Today, schools and universities must create a welcoming environment for students and visitors alike. Many flooring options, especially in carpet tile and broadloom, are available in bright shades, installed to complement the establishment and to tie in with school colours.
If looking for a muted tone, without being too overbearing, an accent colour can be incorporated into the floor design when installing carpet tiles to emphasise the establishment’s unique identity.

“Flooring does not insulate sound”
Within a classroom, noise can be generated by several factors such as footfall, noise from outside or movement in classrooms which are adjacent or on the floor above (and, of course, noisy pupils!) All of which can contribute to distraction and impede pupils’ learning.
The placement of certain types of flooring and underlay in classrooms and corridors can alleviate this by absorbing sound and reducing noise transmission.
When fitting any flooring in what may be a particularly noisy area, it is essential to check with your flooring contractor the acoustic impact noise and decibel (dB) rating prior to installation.
Where the installation of carpet tiles or carpet broadloom is not an option, commercial rubber flooring or Luxury Vinyl Tile are ideal alternatives.

 

 

“Vinyl Flooring is Outdated”
In recent years, vinyl flooring has moved markedly from single cheerless colours to being a more welcoming, versatile and easy-to-install product. Because of its hard-wearing qualities, Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) has become a very popular flooring installation in educational environments.
Created to give the appearance of real wood without the upkeep, some LVT ranges come with a bevelled edge so that when installed, there is a small gap between each board. This adds definition to each board and creates a natural finish to the room. In addition, LVT is easy to clean and can come with excellent slip resistance to help obviate any slips or falls. LVT also offers noise attenuation, minimising background noise or heavy footfall in corridors.

“Flooring is not environmentally friendly”
Many flooring designs today are very eco-friendly, ranging from carpet tiles or broadloom made from 100% recycled yarn to flooring fabricated by 100% green electricity. For example, many products can be found with a Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) certificate which provides third party certification of the assessment of an asset’s environmental, social and economic sustainability performance.
One particularly popular carpet tile choice stocked by Carpet & Flooring which is ideal for schools is ‘CFS Illusion Plus’. This is manufactured in a carbon-neutral facility, BRE Global-certified and comes in plain colours and complementary linear patterns.

For more than 40 years, Carpet & Flooring has been supplying the flooring industry with a complete and competitive flooring package. Voted the CFJ (Contract Flooring Journal) Distributor of the Year five years running, Carpet & Flooring can provide everything you need to deliver your school, college or university flooring installations on time and within budget…

 

 

 

To find out more about Carpet & Flooring’s extensive product portfolio or to request a free sample, contact us by the following methods:

W: www.carpetandflooring.co.uk

E: customer.services@carpetandflooring.co.uk

T: 01527 511 860

Live Chat with Customer Services:

Visit the Carpet & Flooring website and click on the orange icon at the bottom right of any

webpage to chat with an experienced member of our Customer Services team.

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