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“As well as the type of floor, operators should also consider the material to be used. There’s plenty of choice so why not challenge the traditional choice of timber flooring?”


CLEARLY CATEGORISED The Standard categorises floors as Point Elastic, Area Elastic, Combined Elastic and Mixed Elastic. Listed below are the three most commonly found in the UK with some important factors to consider:


Area Elastic ■ Traditional tried and tested floor type ■ Very durable for multi-use areas ■ High Levels of Force Reduction


according to EN14904 testing ■ Only start to offer


protection when forces akin to


athletes are imparted upon it ■ Regular maintenance is required including sand and re-sealing on systems with certain floor finishes


such as Timber of Composite materials ■ Low impact protection from player falls and dives


Point Elastic ■ Innovative surface ■ Type of floor means that all users, regardless of age or ability, receive a


benefit ■ Life long surface treatments reduce on-


going maintenance costs and downtime ■ Excellent impact protection


from falls and dives ■ Excellent design opportunities ■ Cost effective refurbishment opportunities


Combined Elastic ■ Expensive when compared with the


two other types of flooring above ■ Excellent protection for both your users and elite athletes


80


Operators should take into consideration the end user when choosing a surface


■ Unsuitable for extreme


loads in multi-use areas ■ Excellent impact protection


from falls and dives ■ Excellent design opportunities ■ Life long surface treatments reduce on- going maintenance costs and downtime


CHALLENGE TRADITIONAL TIMBER As well as the type of floor, operators should also consider the material to be used. Construction and sport are two of the most innovative industries in the world – so why not challenge the traditional choice of timber floors? There is no denying that beautifully polished timber floors like the ones which can be seen used in the National Basketball Association (NBA) are a wonderful sight, but in reality, how often does a timber floor remain so? To keep a floor looking so good often proves expensive and impractical. Timber is of course a natural product


but you should ensure that the supply is sustainable. Timber is also very temperamental so installation should be done by a specialist contractor – for this we recommend always using an approved SAPCA member from its expansive


database of international consultants, suppliers and contractors.


PVC PROVES PRACTICAL PVC flooring is gaining market share helped along the way by its innovative properties. PVC floors are point elastic and coupled with undercarriages provide market-leading combined elastic floors. No longer are PVC floors the surface that you dare not walk on with high heels or place tables and chairs on. Now they are made with multi-use at the heart of its design. The innovation extends to surface treatments where they massively reduce maintenance costs and can even prevent skin burns for users. The nature of the product means bright vivid designs can massively enhance playing areas and can reduce electricity bills by providing excellent light reflection, minimising overall consumption.


POLYURETHANE PROTECTS Polyurethane floors are laid with shock pads to give shock absorption and impact protection. The shock pad is then covered with a poured top surface providing a seamless playing surface. The installation is key with this type of


floor as it is technically configured on site, so site and atmospheric conditions can affect an installation, so much so that two identical floors can end up being quite different. The top surface is then painted, meaning later down the line when a refurbishment is needed it can be as easy as applying a coat of paint. With polyurethane being self-levelling there are sometimes issues of uneven floors giving uneven ball bounce.


COMPOSITES OFFER VERSATILITY Composite floors are proven to be excellent in multi use areas. Historically laid as solid floors they


are now also laid onto shock pads to give an area elastic properties. They are extremely durable but have very little impact protection for users. They are very long lasting but like timber, need periodic maintenance which adds to a facility’s running costs, which in this sense makes them less cost effective than other more damage-resistant materials. Remember all the while that the floor


is the most important part of the project; it is the foundation of play and should be treated as such. l


sportsmanagement.co.uk issue 4 2014 © Cybertrek 2014


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